Two possibilities immediately come to mind:
1. Richard watches them all blow up in a H-Bomb explosion while somehow managing to remain safe.

2. Richard watches them all die from the poisonous gas in the purge.

If it was #1 then he shouldn't be talking to Sun/Locke/Ben now as the plane theoretically would not have crashed. So I guess it is #2???

or maybe he just THINKS they all die?

OR Richard is a liar. Something about his reaction to Jacob and Locke has me feeling like Richard isn't the helpful little soldier he claimed to be...

or maybe he just THINKS they all die?

Yeah I think this is right. Maybe something will happen, the bomb will go off, and afterwords their bodies cant be found, so he assumes they are dead. Maybe they just were no longer there.

or maybe he just THINKS they all die?
That's what I was thinking. I believe when they all get "killed" that at that moment they flash back to 2007 so they are all alive.
100%
OR Richard is a liar. Something about his reaction to Jacob and Locke has me feeling like Richard isn't the helpful little soldier he claimed to be...
I definitely think that Richard may very well be the biggest liar and manipulator of all!

OR Richard is a liar. Something about his reaction to Jacob and Locke has me feeling like Richard isn't the helpful little soldier he claimed to be...
Tonight Richard made Ben seem like a chior boy. Richard is devious.

That's what I was thinking. I believe when they all get "killed" that at that moment they flash back to 2007 so they are all alive.
100%



I agree.

Two possibilities immediately come to mind:
1. Richard watches them all blow up in a H-Bomb explosion while somehow managing to remain safe.

2. Richard watches them all die from the poisonous gas in the purge.

If it was #1 then he shouldn't be talking to Sun/Locke/Ben now as the plane theoretically would not have crashed. So I guess it is #2???


#1 would still be valid under the single timeline principle.

OR Richard is a liar. Something about his reaction to Jacob and Locke has me feeling like Richard isn't the helpful little soldier he claimed to be...

Very true. Richard was certainly more nefarious tonight than he's ever been before...

I'm wondering if he just meant he saw the DI die in the purge and didn't mean Jack, Hurley, Kate, Jin and the rest specifically. Afterall, he was shown the DI recruit picture, so he could just have meant the DI.

This, to me, was a signifier that the Losties ARE able to change history.

In version 1, they all die, either from the Incident, or the Purge, or what have you.

Now, we know they aren't going to kill off Jack, Hurley, Kate. They just aren't.

So this means that they do indeed change history, and prevent their own deaths somehow.

I like the idea that, the bomb goes off, and while technically killing them in the past, it means they are alive in the future.

Two possibilities immediately come to mind:
1. Richard watches them all blow up in a H-Bomb explosion while somehow managing to remain safe.

2. Richard watches them all die from the poisonous gas in the purge.

If it was #1 then he shouldn't be talking to Sun/Locke/Ben now as the plane theoretically would not have crashed. So I guess it is #2???

The purge happened in the late 80s, not the 70s.

The purge happened in the late 80s, not the 70s.
Right. It's a firing squad or Smokey.

A couple of things to consider:

1. Maybe this is what always happened and Jack and Sayid doing this Jughead thing is just one in a chain of events that leads them to where they are.

2. Jughead's not nearly as powerful as we thought and detonating it doesn't do anything above ground.

-- J

The purge happened in the late 80s, not the 70s.

Doesn't really matter when the purge was, Richard was still a witness to it, and therefore saw the DI die. He didn't say he saw them die in the 70's, just that he saw them die. It could have been in the 70's, 80's or 90's.

Obviously he didn't see Kate die since she's on the sub - and we know the sub makes it to the main land, considering baby Miles lives.

The H-Bomb blowing up doesn't mean that they change the future. Daniel could have been wrong.

The purge happened in the late 80s, not the 70s.

I though the Purge happened in the early 90's

Richard watches them all die in the crash of Flight 815 which what was meant to happen to the plane in the first place--once the hydrogen bomb goes off, Flight 815 passes over the Island and crashes near Fiji. Richard sees it on TV.

No spoiler information here, but I think that the finale is going to be the mother of all cliff hangers since we'l be left not knowing if they do or do not die--and we'll have to wait until 2010 to know the answer. Even the actors won't know how season 6 will start yet, so we'll be pondering this comment from now until next January.

Obviously he didn't see Kate die since she's on the sub - and we know the sub makes it to the main land, considering baby Miles lives.

The H-Bomb blowing up doesn't mean that they change the future. Daniel could have been wrong.

Yes but this is Lost....not everything happens as you think it would! ;)
I don't think Sawyer,Juliet, and Kate necessarily all 3 go back to the mainland...the Losties have to all flash back together in present Island time or why did they have to go back in the first place?
Just cuz we see them on the sub doesn't mean they stay on the sub! Anything can still happen....esp. with the Season Finale being next week...You know some big stuff is gonna happen!

No spoiler information here, but I think that the finale is going to be the mother of all cliff hangers since we'l be left not knowing if they do or do not die--and we'll have to wait until 2010 to know the answer. Even the actors won't know how season 6 will start yet, so we'll be pondering this comment from now until next January.

That would be horrible!

That would be horrible!


That would be LOST. :rolleyes:

This, to me, was a signifier that the Losties ARE able to change history.

In version 1, they all die, either from the Incident, or the Purge, or what have you.

Now, we know they aren't going to kill off Jack, Hurley, Kate. They just aren't.This is LOST. Anyone can die. I don't personally think they'll kill Jack. But Hurley is probably fair game. As to Kate....I wouldn't be as upset as if it were Hurley. But that's just my opinion! :biggrin:

So this means that they do indeed change history, and prevent their own deaths somehow.

I like the idea that, the bomb goes off, and while technically killing them in the past, it means they are alive in the future.I really hate the idea of the H-bomb and the electromagnetic energy canceling each other out and *POOF* EVERYTHING that has happened to EVERYONE on 815 just never happened.

And is there really a "technically killing them in the past"? If they die in their present - in 1977 - they would die in present.

Obviously he didn't see Kate die since she's on the sub - and we know the sub makes it to the main land, considering baby Miles lives.The sub might make it back to the mainland. But it might not. Heck, it could make it and then return for more evacuees.

The H-Bomb blowing up doesn't mean that they change the future. Daniel could have been wrong.I'm reallllly beginning to believe that!

Either Richard was lying (he seems like Ben's role model more and more lately): he didn't see them die. They are, in fact, alive and well and they might even be the “other” group chilling at the Temple. Well, maybe not "chilling", maybe waiting in captivity.

OR

He thought he saw them die but they moved to another space-time (2007 probably) and they're heard whispering in the jungle with Doctor Chang in the previous seasons.

OR

They did die and this show is going to have to reinvent itself. Again. Like a cosmic version of The Three Stooges with John, Ben and Richard double-crossing each other throughout season 6.

OR

Very conveniently, they all entered a fridge (except for Hurley, for obvious reasons, sacrifice a la Charlie). When the bomb was detonated, they logically survived, thanks to the 70s fridge's extremely sturdy build. Then they meet Shia LaBoeuf, the new star for the final season and they lead a mango-filled life, dying in the caves at the end of the series of radioactive-related illnesses. Because, let's face it, that fridge only protected them while they were inside it (that's the mid-season twist, when Kate's hair starts falling out). I'm surprised no one thought of this really fun and engaging, totally credible hypothesis.:rolleyes:

I don't think it has to do with the Purge as that happened much later and our Losties seem to have burned their bridges to Dharmaville. No way they could re-infiltrate Dharma. Horace Goodspeed would tell them to get a life and stay out of his hippy camp. Oh, and I don't think we should really try to second-guess the most imaginative writers on television (but we can't help ourselves anyway).

I'm with the camp that says whatever the incident is (bomb, drilling, whatever), it causes the Losties to jump back to 2007, Richard will see them in the blast/danger zone and then assume they are all dead.

Uh, that's an interesting theory there, fatkimono....

Personally, I think Ren & Stimpy did it best with the History Eraser Button. Hope we get a shout out to that next week.

That's what I was thinking. I believe when they all get "killed" that at that moment they flash back to 2007 so they are all alive.
100%

I definitely think that Richard may very well be the biggest liar and manipulator of all!

Richard saw Locke vanish in the 50's, but he knows Locke didn't die then. Can't see him assuming that about any of them disappearing from the 70's.

My 2 cents. He says he saw them die, but that's just his perception, his perspective. He saw them (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley) leave on the helicopter and subsequently saw the freighter blow up and assumed they all died in the explosion.

And another 2 cents. All this forum talk of detonating the hydrogen bomb is just plain stupid. That bomb would totally obliterate the island. Period. End of Show. Not to mention possibly causing explosions in the other 9 Vile Vortices (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2304319318_a7a24d32e5.jpg?v=0)around the globe (pic linked from Wood blog) (http://www.powells.com/blog/?p=2987) which would be End of Earth.

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but there is NO WAY Jack will succeed in detonating the bomb. Either someone will stop him, the bomb will be a dud, or "the incident" will take place before he gets his chance to push the button.

And to add a few cents more: I think the incident (which will happen before Jack flips the H-switch) will be some event occurring in 1978 and 2008 simultaneously, causing a timeshift. Possibly a time-switch (those in 2008 end up in 1978 and vice versa).

My 2 cents. He says he saw them die, but that's just his perception, his perspective. He saw them (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley) leave on the helicopter and subsequently saw the freighter blow up and assumed they all died in the explosion.

And another 2 cents. All this forum talk of detonating the hydrogen bomb is just plain stupid. That bomb would totally obliterate the island. Period. End of Show. Not to mention possibly causing explosions in the other 9 Vile Vortices (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2304319318_a7a24d32e5.jpg?v=0)around the globe (pic linked from Wood blog) (http://www.powells.com/blog/?p=2987) which would be End of Earth.

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but there is NO WAY Jack will succeed in detonating the bomb. Either someone will stop him, the bomb will be a dud, or "the incident" will take place before he gets his chance to push the button.

And to add a few cents more: I think the incident (which will happen before Jack flips the H-switch) will be some event occurring in 1978 and 2008 simultaneously, causing a timeshift. Possibly a time-switch (those in 2008 end up in 1978 and vice versa).

I agree with a lot of that, and like your few cents more as well.

That's what I was thinking. I believe when they all get "killed" that at that moment they flash back to 2007 so they are all alive.

I definitely think that Richard may very well be the biggest liar and manipulator of all! Uh, that's an interesting theory there, fatkimono....

Personally, I think Ren & Stimpy did it best with the History Eraser Button. Hope we get a shout out to that next week.

Richard saw Locke vanish in the 50's, but he knows Locke didn't die then. Can't see him assuming that about any of them disappearing from the 70's.

I believe what addicted meant was that Richard saw them in the blast zone and assumed they were killed because no one would be able to live through a blast like what is supposed to happen and there wouldn't be any remains left to see afterwards but what really happened is they were flashed out before they were killed. Richard just never saw the flash because of the blast.

My 2 cents. He says he saw them die, but that's just his perception, his perspective. He saw them (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley) leave on the helicopter and subsequently saw the freighter blow up and assumed they all died in the explosion.

And another 2 cents. All this forum talk of detonating the hydrogen bomb is just plain stupid. That bomb would totally obliterate the island. Period. End of Show. Not to mention possibly causing explosions in the other 9 Vile Vortices (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2304319318_a7a24d32e5.jpg?v=0)around the globe (pic linked from Wood blog) (http://www.powells.com/blog/?p=2987) which would be End of Earth.

I'll eat my words if I'm wrong, but there is NO WAY Jack will succeed in detonating the bomb. Either someone will stop him, the bomb will be a dud, or "the incident" will take place before he gets his chance to push the button.

And to add a few cents more: I think the incident (which will happen before Jack flips the H-switch) will be some event occurring in 1978 and 2008 simultaneously, causing a timeshift. Possibly a time-switch (those in 2008 end up in 1978 and vice versa).
There is no way TPTB would put a big, fat Hydrogen Bomb in the plot and then NOT detonate it. It has got to blow. I bet that is how this season ends. Everyone seemingly dying in an H-Bomb explosion.

I believe what addicted meant was that Richard saw them in the blast zone and assumed they were killed because no one would be able to live through a blast like what is supposed to happen and there wouldn't be any remains left to see afterwards but what really happened is they were flashed out before they were killed. Richard just never saw the flash because of the blast.

And how do Richard and Eloise (and anyone else on the island, for that matter) live? Not arguing your point -- just don't understand the mechanics.

What if Daniel was wrong?? What if they do set the bomb off (not necessarily in next week's episode) and it doesn't change anything?

I guessing the bomb does not go off. Think about it!

The reason no one can have kids is due to radiation poisoning from the nuke. The only people who had kids did not live in the barracks for any large period of time or at all.

Maybe they are all by the swan when the incident happened and they flashed to a new time?

And how do Richard and Eloise (and anyone else on the island, for that matter) live? Not arguing your point -- just don't understand the mechanics.

That was my thinking too, if they supposedly die in the H bomb blast, how could Richard see them die and survive himself? :confused:

I mean Richard doesn't seem to age but surviving an H bomb detonation seems to suggest something else entirely............

That's why I'm thinking he could just mean he saw the whole DI (or most of them) die later in the purge. Since the picture Sun showed him was the DI recruit picture, his response was about the DI, and not necessarily Jin, Jack, Kate and friends.

And how do Richard and Eloise (and anyone else on the island, for that matter) live? Not arguing your point -- just don't understand the mechanics.
DANIEL: It's contained down here. But in about six hours, the same thing is gonna happen at the site for the Swan station, only the energy there is about thirty thousand times more powerful, sir. And the accident... it's gonna be catastrophic.

I'm talking about the Incident and not a hydrogen bomb going off. The release of so much exotic matter going off would most likely cause some kind of big explosion, look what happened to the Hatch when the fail safe key was turned. Richard could have been standing at a safe distance when it occurred. We know the Hostiles and DI survived the Incident because they were still on the Island after it occurred. However the ones in the blast zone woudn't survive and there probably wouldn't be any remains left to find.

I'm talking about the Incident and not a hydrogen bomb going off. The release of so much exotic matter going off would most likely cause some kind of big explosion, look what happened to the Hatch when the fail safe key was turned. Richard could have been standing at a safe distance when it occurred. We know the Hostiles and DI survived the Incident because they were still on the Island after it occurred. However the ones in the blast zone woudn't survive and there probably wouldn't be any remains left to find.

I'm thinking along the same lines. This is how it always happened. The Losties are going to flash back to 2007/8, and S6 will be all about Paradox Island, Jacob, Richard, Locke, Ben, and the group of Alana, Bram et al.

Yeah I think this is right. Maybe something will happen, the bomb will go off, and afterwords their bodies cant be found, so he assumes they are dead. Maybe they just were no longer there.

This sounds most likely....Now that the Losties have been exposed as TTers, I doubt they all re-enter Dharma and die in the Purge.

We also know that the Incident occurred (WHH) to get us to the point in 2007 we are "presently" at.

Somehow all the Losties need to get into the same "time" to accomplish whatever this whole thing is about.

The reason no one can have kids is due to radiation poisoning from the nuke. The only people who had kids did not live in the barracks for any large period of time or at all.
The radiation may very well come into play with the pregnancy issue, but I always think back to Richard's showing Julliette the films of the 20 something year old woman with the reproductive system of someone in their 80's when I think of the subject.

and the group of Alana, Bram et al.Lucky them. :rolleyes:

Maybe the Hbomb has nothing to do with it. Maybe he means he watched them "die" via Smokey or something weird like that? (ie Young Ben, Rousseau's group, etc)

To me, the interesting part of this is Kate. How could Alpert see anything like Kate dying, unless she never makes it off the island. I know we saw her leave, but my theory for a long time is that the Sub only goes back and forth to the Looking Glass. People who come to the island drugged are "teleported" to the Looking Glass and wake up on the sub on its way to the docks.

Do we really think that Sawyer and Juliet and Kate are going to be stuck in 1977? I don't. I think they come back to the island from the Looking Glass and Alpert sees them all get caught up in the blast and disappear. He thinks they are dead, but they are really in 2007

Two possibilities immediately come to mind:
1. Richard watches them all blow up in a H-Bomb explosion while somehow managing to remain safe.

2. Richard watches them all die from the poisonous gas in the purge.

If it was #1 then he shouldn't be talking to Sun/Locke/Ben now as the plane theoretically would not have crashed. So I guess it is #2???

What happened, happened....

It's becoming more and more obvious that the H-bomb exploding will be the 'incident', I fully expect that we will soon see Daniel, during his time off the island, somehow discovering that he has to set these events in motion, I also expect Desmond to be involved in this somehow.
:)

I think Richard is a major liar!!!!!

I think Richard is a major liar!!!!!

Sure, but they're white lies! I think Alpert spins the truth, which is a bit differant. At other times, I think he is telling the truth, but we're so conditioned to distrust him, we automatically think he's spewing crap.

At the end of the day, I think Alpert believes he saw Jack and co "die." That can mean a ton of differant things though. My guess is, due to The Incident, the Losties end up in flux, which might as well be dead. Or, maybe they gather in The Temple for "safety" are effectively euthanized, and are then "altered" by Cerberus?

I don't think the H bomb is the Incident. The impending Swan station release is the "Incident" for the WHH crowd. I am thinking from a radiation point of view. If the H bomb detonated, how can Dharma still be there for the purge in '92? Ben lived there through his teen years with all the rest of Dharma until he Purged them. Are we to think they all left temporarily and came back and just picked up where they left off after an H bomb detonation?
I freely admit I am no radiation expert but I do watch the History Channel :)! I think here would be enough leftover radiation to affect people and wildlife significantly for decades, not to mention a huge crater or area devastated with no regrowth that would have been noticed/mentioned at some point in the last 5 seasons. How many times have they traipsed across that Island?

I think the H bomb is a red herring and it won't go off. I think it is still there in 2007/8 and was the unknown cause of the baby problem. I have to rewatch, but didn't Ellie say it was under Dharmaville? If it went off, wouldn't Dharmaville be gone?
JMHO.

I don't think the H bomb is the Incident.

I agree. For one thing, I believe a bomb like Jughead would destroy every above-ground structure on the island. No Dharma village, Flame Station. etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it may even destroy every living thing on the island, including plants...leaving it a barren radioactive wasteland. Ya know the old expression....it would turn the island into a giant parking lot.

Plus, I think several governments monitor for nuclear explosions. The whole world would be aware of the blast and its location. This would give away the islands location in 1977. I don't think that can happen.

So, the way I see it, if the H-bomb goes off, forget about WH,H

Yeah I think this is right. Maybe something will happen, the bomb will go off, and afterwords their bodies cant be found, so he assumes they are dead. Maybe they just were no longer there.

I'm in the "no-bodies" camp - I think the Incident will cause the 1977 Losties to time-skip back to the present.

Yeah I think this is right. Maybe something will happen, the bomb will go off, and afterwords their bodies cant be found, so he assumes they are dead. Maybe they just were no longer there.

I'm thinking more "this".

Seems like everytime we think it's some huge mystery, it turns out to be someones mistake or something small instead.
Also, lets not forget out writers favorite movie...

"What I told you was true, Luke. From a certain point of view."
We heard Richards POV.

Or perhaps the bomb, instead of changing the past, actually is what causes the incident?

It dawned on me last night that we got the O6's story from Richard's perspective a few weeks ago, and part of using that character to tell the story was either to hint that whatever happened, really did and DOES happen, or we are to understand Richard as a liar like Ben (since Ben has been the perspective of the other "overview" episodes. TPTB have left it "unclear" for a reason--they still have season 6 to go.

I agree with rabidranger; I think Richard spins the truth. He puts a bit of truth in with a lie or vice versa, which makes it that much better of a deception.

He could have also told Sun that he saw them die for no other reason than to stop her from trying to get back to Jin and the others for some reason. Maybe I'm wrong, but I saw nothing in this episode to indicate Richard being actually happy that Locke is back. He seemed quite anxious, actually. I don't think he wants Locke or anyone having anything to do with Locke (like Sun) doing anything they shouldn't be doing.

If the sub comes back and off-loads Sawyer, Kate, Juliet, etc., maybe Richard, Eloise and Charles take off in it and see the island blow up just before they dive. They assume everyone is dead, but they've just flashed to the present, due to the concurrent Swan incident? So convoluted, I can't figure it out. DHARMA can't end in 1977, so how do they survive the bomb?

I think Richard told them what John told him to tell him. whew

I agree. For one thing, I believe a bomb like Jughead would destroy every above-ground structure on the island. No Dharma village, Flame Station. etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it may even destroy every living thing on the island, including plants...leaving it a barren radioactive wasteland. Ya know the old expression....it would turn the island into a giant parking lot.

Plus, I think several governments monitor for nuclear explosions. The whole world would be aware of the blast and its location. This would give away the islands location in 1977. I don't think that can happen.

So, the way I see it, if the H-bomb goes off, forget about WH,H
That H-Bomb is going to blow. There is no way they would put that in the story and not detonate it. When the do, the most everyone will die. When 2004 comes around Flight 815 will not crash because there is no button to push because there is no one alive on the island.

The plane will land in LA, but I would image that there will be some strangeness that will cause the story to continue.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it may even destroy every living thing on the island, including plants...leaving it a barren radioactive wasteland. Ya know the old expression....it would turn the island into a giant parking lot.

Plus, I think several governments monitor for nuclear explosions. The whole world would be aware of the blast and its location. This would give away the islands location in 1977. I don't think that can happen.

So, the way I see it, if the H-bomb goes off, forget about WH,H

While this may not make great scientific sense, remember that the Island's special energy caused the hatch to "implode." A general theory is that the Island's energy imploding and Jughead's exploding would somehow cancel each other out. The effect might not be devastating like your usual nuclear explosion. However, there might be other massive effects like ripping apart time/space sending our Losties back to the future and maybe causing the radiation "sickness" and fertility issues.

I really hate the idea of the H-bomb and the electromagnetic energy canceling each other out and *POOF* EVERYTHING that has happened to EVERYONE on 815 just never happened.

And is there really a "technically killing them in the past"? If they die in their present - in 1977 - they would die in present.I honestly don't think if they died in 1977 that it would erase their "present day" selves. We saw that Locke was able to see his past self, meaning at least two individuals could exist in the same timeline, if only briefly. If the 1977 Losties happened to die (which I'm leaning against), I think those versions of themselves die, while the 2004 versions would live on normally (another idea I don't really like lol). It makes me think of the recent episode of Fringe, where Dr. Bishop was explaining that a timeline is not truly linear, since the choices we make in life alter the line each time.

There is no way TPTB would put a big, fat Hydrogen Bomb in the plot and then NOT detonate it. It has got to blow. I bet that is how this season ends. Everyone seemingly dying in an H-Bomb explosion.

You may be dead right (pun intended), but I disagree. The H-Bomb was 1200 times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The only US tested H-bomb (The Shrimp) caused a fallout and spread of radiation over 100 miles from the test site, including inhabited islands.

What about fallout? What about the rest of the world? What about all that happened after 1977? The DI stations, the orientation vids, the DI workers, Rousseau's team, Henry Gale, Desmond, Kelvin, 815, the Kahana, 316 -- there is no way TPTB would put all of these things in the plot and then obliterate them.

The bomb is there, like the statue, like the temple, like smokey, like the polar bears, to be used NOT as part of the plot but as part of the mystery.

Anyway, you may be right, but I hope I am. ;)

That H-Bomb is going to blow. There is no way they would put that in the story and not detonate it. When the do, the most everyone will die. When 2004 comes around Flight 815 will not crash because there is no button to push because there is no one alive on the island.

The plane will land in LA, but I would image that there will be some strangeness that will cause the story to continue.
I know I posted this already but I'd like to add something to it.

I'm talking about the Incident and not a hydrogen bomb going off. The release of so much exotic matter going off would most likely cause some kind of big explosion, look what happened to the Hatch when the fail safe key was turned. Richard could have been standing at a safe distance when it occurred. We know the Hostiles and DI survived the Incident because they were still on the Island after it occurred. However the ones in the blast zone woudn't survive and there probably wouldn't be any remains left to find.

Let's say they get all of the Time Travelling Losties back together, we saw this happen last year with the O6 so it's feasible.
Sayid and Jack manage to get the H-Bomb to point zero (the Swan) through the tunnels the DI is unaware of it. The rest of the TT Losties are in the blast zone. The incident occurs with the TT Losties, Jack and Sayid touching the H-Bomb flash to the future. The DI not knowing anything about the H-Bomb think it is just the leak of the EM that causes the incident and the Hostiles think the H-Bomb has blown up killing all of the TT Losties.
Richard isn't telling a lie however the TT Losties and the H-Bomb are all now on the Island in 2007/2008 and a war is about to begin.
The H-Bomb is now a very big problem for next season to deal with. ;)

ISayid and Jack manage to get the H-Bomb to point zero (the Swan) through the tunnels the DI is unaware of it. The rest of the TT Losties are in the blast zone. The incident occurs with the TT Losties, Jack and Sayid touching the H-Bomb flash to the future. The DI not knowing anything about the H-Bomb think it is just the leak of the EM that causes the incident and the Hostiles think the H-Bomb has blown up killing all of the TT Losties.
Richard isn't telling a lie however the TT Losties and the H-Bomb are all now on the Island in 2007/2008 and a war is about to begin.
The H-Bomb is now a very big problem for next season to deal with. ;)

I like it!!!

I like it!!!
Thanks

Are we sure the hydrogen bomb IS a hydrogen bomb? I don't remember much said about it, other than the "military" put it there?... It could be that any of the characters were involved in the future about putting the bomb there in the past for reasons of patching up the time problems.
100%
I don't know why more people aren't questioning who Richard is, since he never changes in age. "Richard is sort of an advisor..." ?! what the heck is that? how could that answer satisfy anyone?! is he some sort of hovering angel, watching human life but not really a part of it?

I've always wanted Richard to be the good guy, the "I cannot tell a lie" type. So, I was really startled when he raised concern about Locke's choice to visit Jacob.

Is there a relationship between Richard and Jacob?

Is Locke like Loki from Norse mythology?
100%
I honestly don't think if they died in 1977 that it would erase their "present day" selves. We saw that Locke was able to see his past self, meaning at least two individuals could exist in the same timeline, if only briefly.

Locke and Miles have seen themselves in the past. Daniel saw Charlotte in the past. Any other "crossings" through time?

Are we sure the hydrogen bomb IS a hydrogen bomb? I don't remember much said about it, other than the "military" put it there?... It could be that any of the characters were involved in the future about putting the bomb there in the past for reasons of patching up the time problems.
100%
I don't know why more people aren't questioning who Richard is, since he never changes in age. "Richard is sort of an advisor..." ?! what the heck is that? how could that answer satisfy anyone?! is he some sort of hovering angel, watching human life but not really a part of it?

I've always wanted Richard to be the good guy, the "I cannot tell a lie" type. So, I was really startled when he raised concern about Locke's choice to visit Jacob.

Is there a relationship between Richard and Jacob?

Is Locke like Loki from Norse mythology?

Locke and Miles have seen themselves in the past. Daniel saw Charlotte in the past. Any other "crossings" through time?
Sawyer saw Kate and Claire when when Aaron was born

Too many people are leaning towards the "815 lands in LA" theory, but that simply can't happen, not possible at all. It's the grandfather paradox, if Jack were to succeed and detonate the H-bomb, thus negating the incident at the swan, thus preventing 815 from crashing on the island, then he would not be there in 1977 to detonate the H-bomb, meaning the incident would occur and 815 would crash etc etc.

Too many people are leaning towards the "815 lands in LA" theory, but that simply can't happen, not possible at all. It's the grandfather paradox, if Jack were to succeed and detonate the H-bomb, thus negating the incident at the swan, thus preventing 815 from crashing on the island, then he would not be there in 1977 to detonate the H-bomb, meaning the incident would occur and 815 would crash etc etc.

True, along with Jack and the ABC promo people. Its not possible to do anything that changes them being in the 70s. Just wait a week, and we will probably see the full outcome.

The more I think about it, the I'd like to see this season end, literally, with a bang.
What a great ending.
A far off shot of the island as a huge bomb goes off.

Well, the whispers still have to be explained, so I wonder if the bomb reacts with the all the electromagnetic energy in such a way that causes the Losties in 1977 to be "trapped" rather than die. The plane still crashes then, and the Losties do sort of die, but they aren't dead but "caught in a net" of energy.

There is no way TPTB would put a big, fat Hydrogen Bomb in the plot and then NOT detonate it. It has got to blow. I bet that is how this season ends. Everyone seemingly dying in an H-Bomb explosion.

We've seen the island after 1977, and there has been no H-Bomb explosion. Richard is standing on the island, as he says he watched them die, and the island he's standing on while he says it has not experienced an H-Bomb explosion.

I guessing the bomb does not go off. Think about it!

The reason no one can have kids is due to radiation poisoning from the nuke. The only people who had kids did not live in the barracks for any large period of time or at all.

Maybe they are all by the swan when the incident happened and they flashed to a new time?

Radiation poisioning would cause cancer, hair loss, and sterility. The "fertility" problem on the island is the mother's immune system turning against the fetus. Sperm counts are higher on the island, rather than lower, and there's only been a single case of cancer in decades, which was Ben's tumor.

I agree. For one thing, I believe a bomb like Jughead would destroy every above-ground structure on the island. No Dharma village, Flame Station. etc.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it may even destroy every living thing on the island, including plants...leaving it a barren radioactive wasteland. Ya know the old expression....it would turn the island into a giant parking lot.

You are not wrong. Jughead is 15 megatons. By any reasonable estimate of the size of the island, Jughead would, for one thing, melt every inch of rock on the island. If it still existed as an island after the blast, which is doubtful, it would be utterly unrecognizable, and would contain no life whatsoever. I don't see how that equates to Richard standing on the island saying he watched Jack, Kate, and Hurley die.

Too many people are leaning towards the "815 lands in LA" theory, but that simply can't happen, not possible at all. It's the grandfather paradox, if Jack were to succeed and detonate the H-bomb, thus negating the incident at the swan, thus preventing 815 from crashing on the island, then he would not be there in 1977 to detonate the H-bomb, meaning the incident would occur and 815 would crash etc etc.

I agree. It ain't happening.
100%

OR

They did die and this show is going to have to reinvent itself. Again. Like a cosmic version of The Three Stooges with John, Ben and Richard double-crossing each other throughout season 6.
Richard may have watched them die. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he watched them die in season 5.

Sure I guess it's possible he only thought he saw them die, and they flashed back to 2008 or some other time... but these writers are not wimps when it comes to killing off characters. How many do you really think will be alive at the end of the final finale?

Richard watches them all die in the crash of Flight 815 which what was meant to happen to the plane in the first place--once the hydrogen bomb goes off, Flight 815 passes over the Island and crashes near Fiji. Richard sees it on TV.

Not possible. Think about it.

There is no way TPTB would put a big, fat Hydrogen Bomb in the plot and then NOT detonate it. It has got to blow. I bet that is how this season ends. Everyone seemingly dying in an H-Bomb explosion.

There is no way they'd leave a crew member in shot in a pivotal scene. It has to be Locke..

Of course they could put a bomb on the island and have someone stop it from detonating
I doubt very much we've seen the last of Desmond The Variable and both Jack and Locke are heading towards a major event.
100%
but these writers are not wimps when it comes to killing off characters. How many do you really think will be alive at the end of the final finale?

But in the same episode that Richard says he saw someone die, so does Sayid - and he was mistaken.

Whatever happened, happened. Faraday tried to change things but he failed - he was always going to. Jack is trying to change things and he will fail to - the bomb would destroy the island.
There is only one person that can seemingly prevent the crash of 815 or alter the timeline in other ways and that is Desmond - and he's thousands of miles away on a hospital bed...in another decade.

Faraday's mother can send Desmond back - she knows what happens next on the island as she and Widmore have lived to tell.

Look if the bomb goes off and everyone dies, and then that changes the future, then the writers took the easy way out. Or as he said once, "wrote themselves up a wall." I really hope they don't do that. That is taking the easy way out. It's like, OK folks all that crap we just had you watch we erased it all. That's St. Elsewhere all the way. I will be pissed.

I would hate such an outcome. It would essentially mean that everything we've seen and been invested in over 5 whole seasons was crap. Ugh!

The obvious option is to have course correction and then have Desmond change it back so that the plane crashes " all over again ", essentially giving reason to the time we've invested watching Lost.
The debate there would be " Is Desmond a variable or did it always happen ? "

We've seen the island after 1977, and there has been no H-Bomb explosion. Richard is standing on the island, as he says he watched them die, and the island he's standing on while he says it has not experienced an H-Bomb explosion.

I am not sure we know what the outcome of the H-Bomb explosion would be. The island may have a way to protect itself. Or maybe Richard is still around because he is already dead? I still think the bomb will blow. Maybe it won't be as devistating because it is undergound or something?

Sayid and Jack manage to get the H-Bomb to point zero (the Swan) through the tunnels the DI is unaware of it. The rest of the TT Losties are in the blast zone. The incident occurs with the TT Losties, Jack and Sayid touching the H-Bomb flash to the future. The DI not knowing anything about the H-Bomb think it is just the leak of the EM that causes the incident and the Hostiles think the H-Bomb has blown up killing all of the TT Losties.
Richard isn't telling a lie however the TT Losties and the H-Bomb are all now on the Island in 2007/2008 and a war is about to begin.
The H-Bomb is now a very big problem for next season to deal with. ;)

Dude, you are brilliant. I love this idea.

Who knows whether it will happen or not, but with all the clues we have right now, this makes the most sense to me.

I have been wondering if someone (Chang-Radzinsky-DI) uses the H-bomb to create the "fail safe" - i.e. when Desmond turned the key he set off the H-bomb.

We have been led to believe Dharma is going to drill and release 30000x EM energy - but I think Sawyer or Chang will stop Radzinsky before that happens - and thus the bomb will not need to be used. Chang could lose his arm in this process.

Some drilling will occur, and the protocol mechanism in the Swan will need to be established to control the leak of EM.

Faraday's journal will be used to create the fail-safe - to offset the release an create a net implosion.

ps. this is getting a bit off topic from the OP's topic - will start a new thread.

I have been wondering if someone (Chang-Radzinsky-DI) uses the H-bomb to create the "fail safe" - i.e. when Desmond turned the key he set off the H-bomb.

.


I'm not sure this is the case......turning the failsafe key turned the sky violet. All the H-Bomb testing films I saw had a big orange cloud.....not a purple sky.

KATE: And just how exactly do you plan on destroying this energy?

FARADAY: I'm gonna detonate a hydrogen bomb.


MTA's conclusion = the H-bomb offsets/destroys the EM energy (so there is no orange cloud).

Prior to Desmond turning the fail-safe key, there was purple sky. Afterwards - no purple sky, no orange cloud.

I have been wondering if someone (Chang-Radzinsky-DI) uses the H-bomb to create the "fail safe" - i.e. when Desmond turned the key he set off the H-bomb.

We have been led to believe Dharma is going to drill and release 30000x EM energy - but I think Sawyer or Chang will stop Radzinsky before that happens - and thus the bomb will not need to be used. Chang could lose his arm in this process.

Some drilling will occur, and the protocol mechanism in the Swan will need to be established to control the leak of EM.

Faraday's journal will be used to create the fail-safe - to offset the release an create a net implosion.

ps. this is getting a bit off topic from the OP's topic - will start a new thread.
I also thought that maybe the H-Bomb was the failsafe, but I can't figure out the logistics. The failsafe was at the Swan and it hasn't even been built yet. Maybe Jack and Sayid do something with the bomb to set it up as the failsafe in the future?

We might even find that Richard Alpert lies. Maybe he didnt see them die?

We might even find that Richard Alpert lies. Maybe he didnt see them die?


I don't think Richard is lying. He just witnessed the last time flash of the Losties back in 1977 and perceived it as their death. He would be really surprised to see them again as he was when he saw Locke after three years.

I'm not sure this is the case......turning the failsafe key turned the sky violet. All the H-Bomb testing films I saw had a big orange cloud.....not a purple sky.
...followed by radioactive fallout, radiation sickness, hair loss, cancer. There are no signs of a nuclear explosion.

...followed by radioactive fallout, radiation sickness, hair loss, cancer. There are no signs of a nuclear explosion.

I don't think there is going to be a "traditional" nuclear event. Drop the core into the fissure of negatively charged matter and away we go!

...followed by radioactive fallout, radiation sickness, hair loss, cancer. There are no signs of a nuclear explosion.

unless Jughead is detonated in a different timeline, and the Cancer we see with everyone who used to be on the island, are just memories people gain when they skip from timeline to timeline.

For example, before Flight 815 landed on the island Rose had cancer and John Locke was paralyzed. Desmond had failed to press the button in the hatch and transported flight 815 into a different timeline, where Rose and John had different pasts. In this timeline they landed in, Rose never had cancer and John Locke has never been paralyzed. They dont realize they're in a different timeline so they assumed they've had a miracle cure.

Also in this timeline, Christian Sheppard never died.:cool:

unless Jughead is detonated in a different timeline, and the Cancer we see with everyone who used to be on the island, are just memories people gain when they skip from timeline to timeline.

For example, before Flight 815 landed on the island Rose had cancer and John Locke was paralyzed. Desmond had failed to press the button in the hatch and transported flight 815 into a different timeline, where Rose and John had different pasts. In this timeline they landed in, Rose never had cancer and John Locke has never been paralyzed. They dont realize they're in a different timeline so they assumed they've had a miracle cure.

Also in this timeline, Christian Sheppard never died.:cool:

Wouldn't that be a little too convenient? A timeline merge and woosh there goes several of the shows mysteries explained?

I'd rather they chalk it up to the island's healing powers, and explain that further.

Wouldn't that be a little too convenient? A timeline merge and woosh there goes several of the shows mysteries explained?

I'd rather they chalk it up to the island's healing powers, and explain that further.

TOO convenient? People have been looking for answers since season 1, here's something that makes sense (I'm not saying I'm right.....I'm just saying that it would makes sense). and you say it's TOO convenient. That's like saying "I cant pay for my breakfast at McDonald's because I only have $4.83 and the bill is $4.83 and that's TOO convenient."

If you want to chalk it up to healing powers, be my guest, but someone can be both a man of science AND a man of faith.

Since all religion is based upon faith, you dont need to have physically been through a miracle to witness a miracle. Maybe science is honestly at the root of it all, but that's not important. What's important is that you felt what you thought was impossible become possible.

Maybe It's a fact that I have $4.83 in my pocket, but the miracle is that I dont have to slaughter pigs and raise chickens to eat an Egg McMuffin every morning.

Could be a lot easier with a simple "How?" from Sun. But asking questions isnt the Losties strong suit..

I would however be a bit dissapoined if Richard's meaning of "Watched them all die" is not actually witnessing their "death", but hearing a huge explosion where they were suppose to be.
But Im optimistic, and if that what Richard said, I guess he saw Jack, Kate and Hurly being put out of their misery.

Dude, you are brilliant. I love this idea.

Who knows whether it will happen or not, but with all the clues we have right now, this makes the most sense to me.
Dudette says :thankyou: !!

I think Richard did watch them die. But I'm in the WH,H camp so I don't think the bomb is gonna go off. The Incident will happen, somewhere down the line our Losties will die (I have no real theories on how except that it's not gonna be in a nuclear blast). Everything had to have happened the way it happened for Locke and Sun, etc to be back on the Island in the present, and then of course there's the Grandfather Paradox, so it just wont work.

However, I'm also in the 'Desmond is the Variable' camp. I think he's gonna go back in time and change things - My favourite theory: Desmond goes back and stops Charlie from turning off the jamming equipment, thus they never make contact with the Freighter, no one leaves the Island (because they were never SUPPOSED to leave the Island), the wheel isn't turned, the messed up time traveling never happens, and best of all, Charlie is alive :)
BUT all this is possible because Desmond isn't actually changing the past - he's fixing it. Say that Charlie was never supposed to turn of the jamming equipment, and the Island has been trying to course correct ever since but it's just gotten majorly screwed up and complicated. Desmond was getting visions because he was supposed to stop it.

Just a theory, but I could see it working.

TOO convenient? People have been looking for answers since season 1, here's something that makes sense (I'm not saying I'm right.....I'm just saying that it would makes sense). and you say it's TOO convenient. That's like saying "I cant pay for my breakfast at McDonald's because I only have $4.83 and the bill is $4.83 and that's TOO convenient."

If you want to chalk it up to healing powers, be my guest, but someone can be both a man of science AND a man of faith.

Since all religion is based upon faith, you dont need to have physically been through a miracle to witness a miracle. Maybe science is honestly at the root of it all, but that's not important. What's important is that you felt what you thought was impossible become possible.

Maybe It's a fact that I have $4.83 in my pocket, but the miracle is that I dont have to slaughter pigs and raise chickens to eat an Egg McMuffin every morning.

Hey, all i'm saying is that's not how i'd want it to happen on the show, it'd feel like a cheap explanation for those miracles.

Aside from that, yeh it's a solid theory, but only if you believe that Whatever Happened, Happened is not true, and that you can change the past. Alternate timelines have not yet been confirmed in the show, so your theory is hanging on that one variable.

I guess i'm in the WHH camp, I don't believe you can change the past, and any attempt to change it will only result in the inevitable occurring anyway. The writers have said all season in podcasts that's what they believe, that they like that kind of time travel storytelling. One that avoids major paradoxes.

I personally believe that Jack will end up negating the EM energy, believing he will change the past, but then end up being catapulted into present day (with the other survivors) with Locke, Ben, Sun etc.

It seems to me that we have seen at least one example of the Losties thinking they are changing the future when, in fact, they are allowing the future to happen. I'm thinking of Sayid when he shot young Ben. Sayid thought he was changing the future when he was actually fulfilling it -- the Others healed Ben, and Ben became one of them. So maybe Jack thinks he is going to change the future and erase the fact that 815 crashed, when Jack will actually end up setting up a string of events that results in them not dying as Richard said, and leads to 815 crashing.

TOO convenient? People have been looking for answers since season 1, here's something that makes sense (I'm not saying I'm right.....I'm just saying that it would makes sense). and you say it's TOO convenient. That's like saying "I cant pay for my breakfast at McDonald's because I only have $4.83 and the bill is $4.83 and that's TOO convenient."

If you want to chalk it up to healing powers, be my guest, but someone can be both a man of science AND a man of faith.

Since all religion is based upon faith, you dont need to have physically been through a miracle to witness a miracle. Maybe science is honestly at the root of it all, but that's not important. What's important is that you felt what you thought was impossible become possible.

Maybe It's a fact that I have $4.83 in my pocket, but the miracle is that I dont have to slaughter pigs and raise chickens to eat an Egg McMuffin every morning.
I also like this multi-timeline resolution. Maybe Locke is so confident right now because he knows what's going to happen because he has been through it before?
I am also considering the possibility that Jacob may be Locke from a different time loop?

However, I'm also in the 'Desmond is the Variable' camp. I think he's gonna go back in time and change things - My favourite theory: Desmond goes back and stops Charlie from turning off the jamming equipment, thus they never make contact with the Freighter, no one leaves the Island (because they were never SUPPOSED to leave the Island), the wheel isn't turned, the messed up time traveling never happens, and best of all, Charlie is alive :)
BUT all this is possible because Desmond isn't actually changing the past - he's fixing it. Say that Charlie was never supposed to turn of the jamming equipment, and the Island has been trying to course correct ever since but it's just gotten majorly screwed up and complicated. Desmond was getting visions because he was supposed to stop it.

Just a theory, but I could see it working.

I think you may be right about Des "fixing" the past which means Charlie not turning off the jamming equipment. However, I think this that means Charlies is NOT alive :frown: Fixing the past means the Des allows Charlie to die the way he was supposed to...before Des saved him.

Because of Course Correction, Des could not have prevented Charlie's death. All Des did was prolong Charlie's life for a day or two. I believe this had a ripple effect (or Butterfly Effect) on time. The two most obvious clues are 1) Claire not getting on the helicopter, 2) Alex being killed by Keamy.

I think you may be right about Des "fixing" the past which means Charlie not turning off the jamming equipment. However, I think this that means Charlies is NOT alive :frown: Fixing the past means the Des allows Charlie to die the way he was supposed to...before Des saved him.

Because of Course Correction, Des could not have prevented Charlie's death. All Des did was prolong Charlie's life for a day or two. I believe this had a ripple effect (or Butterfly Effect) on time. The two most obvious clues are 1) Claire not getting on the helicopter, 2) Alex being killed by Keamy.

I don't think Darlton would change Charlies death - if he has to be dead then he better stay a dead hero, or they're gonna have an angry mob of Charlie fans to deal with.

Maybe the Island was trying to kill Charlie before he could turn off the jamming equipment, so if Desmond stops him, then there's no need for him to die. Maybe it wasn't FATE, just the bloody Island playing up.

I am not sure we know what the outcome of the H-Bomb explosion would be. The island may have a way to protect itself. Or maybe Richard is still around because he is already dead? I still think the bomb will blow. Maybe it won't be as devistating because it is undergound or something?

'the island may have a way to protect itself.'

I like your post and I'm surprised no one has picked up in this. What's the Island's defence mechanism again?

Smokey :)

I think Jack WILL succeed in detonating the bomb, but we'll perhaps see Smokey 'enveloping' the bomb or the explosion to neutralize it, protect the Island and ensure that Whatever Happens, Happens.

Fate.

Perhaps the explosion will be kept in a sort of stasis at the site of the Swan, taken there by Smokey, negated by the EM energy, that has to be recharged every 108 minutes?

Pushing the button to save the world

Well, this is a fictional TV show so what the heck, why not have the Island have the ability to negate the effects of an H Bomb. I suppose we are all here still watching because of our willingness to suspend our disbelief of implausible things we have already been shown.
But this would be a biggie, even for me. :)

I really like the idea of the Smoke Monster eating the H Bomb, but.... We have already seen Smokey chased away with one measly little stick of dynomite. An H~Bomb, huh?

Sigh... I wanna see it, but I doubt that would play out. Unless Smokeys afraid of the dynamite because of its history with the megabomb.

LOL, once bitten twice shy! :)

Just putting it out there-who the he'll knows what is gonna happen?!?!? :)

Thinking more about it tho...the stasis at the Swan could be unstable, and needs to be balanced?
So, the explosion energy versus the em energy? The incident makes the electromagnetic energy become unstable, the h bomb energy Smokey 'captured' balances it out.
The DI and Chang realize that if left unattended for 108 minutes the em energy gets the 'upper hand', and the button press does something to restore balance. But wiyhout the em energy, the explosion energy will 'complete' unopposed.

Could also tie in nicely with all the 'two sides-one black,one White' duality....

Or I might be talking a right load of old bollixks! :)
100%
ps When Desmond turns the failsafe key, they cancel each other out and the threat is gone-perhaps Eloise and Charles foresaw this and hence why Charles forced DES down the route to the Island-it was his destiny to turn that key cos Elly knew what was down there.
They may actually be good, they were protecting the island.
Remember Charles was pleased last week when told Des was ok.

Ps. Does anyone else think Des famous line to Jack wayyyy back at the stadium 'you've got to lift her up' the 'her' could be referring to Jughead?!?!

Even his 'See you in another life, brotha' patter alludes to the alternate timeline theories...

Even his 'See you in another life, brotha' patter alludes to the alternate timeline theories...

That was more of a foreshadow to them meeting on the island.

Sure-but we know it works on many levels :)
100%
I've just seen the H Bomb is the fail safe thread, didn't see it before my last few posts here, doh! :)
Sorry

'the island may have a way to protect itself.'

I like your post and I'm surprised no one has picked up in this. What's the Island's defence mechanism again?

Smokey :)

I think Jack WILL succeed in detonating the bomb, but we'll perhaps see Smokey 'enveloping' the bomb or the explosion to neutralize it, protect the Island and ensure that Whatever Happens, Happens.

Fate.

Perhaps the explosion will be kept in a sort of stasis at the site of the Swan, taken there by Smokey, negated by the EM energy, that has to be recharged every 108 minutes?

Pushing the button to save the world
I wasn't thinking of Smokey really. I was thinking maybe the island time travels back to the future?

OR Richard is a liar. Something about his reaction to Jacob and Locke has me feeling like Richard isn't the helpful little soldier he claimed to be...

At this point ITA, Richard is protecting someone or something.

There is something else to throw into the equation.

The failsafe key Desmond uses causes an explosion that does what? Neutralises the energy caused by the incident. Im thinking Jughead is most certainly used only years later when Locke decides not pushing the button anymore.

Yeah, that's kinds what I said above-I'd love to see something like this happening

Yeah, that's kinds what I said above-I'd love to see something like this happening

Ahh naughty me not reading completely through the thread. Great minds Donga.;)

There is something else to throw into the equation.

The failsafe key Desmond uses causes an explosion that does what? Neutralises the energy caused by the incident. Im thinking Jughead is most certainly used only years later when Locke decides not pushing the button anymore.

Which would mean that something happens that prevents them from detonating Jughead in 1977 and thus allowing it to survive until present day then causing events to happen like they are supposed to. So the incident happens just like it always did and the Losties always travel back in time.

Two possibilities immediately come to mind:
1. Richard watches them all blow up in a H-Bomb explosion while somehow managing to remain safe.

2. Richard watches them all die from the poisonous gas in the purge.

If it was #1 then he shouldn't be talking to Sun/Locke/Ben now as the plane theoretically would not have crashed. So I guess it is #2???

3. Richard's pants are on fire.

3. Richard's pants are on fire.
Agreed. That would be #3.