YOU CAN'T ESCAPE YOUR FATE — BUT YOU CAN CHANGE THE DETAILS. This was dramatized by Desmond's repeated attempts to save Charlie's life. Desmond would get flashes of the future. He'd see how Charlie was going to bite it — by drowning; by lightning strike; by booby trap — and he would intercede. But eventually, Fate brainstormed a scenario that could kill Charlie. So Fate is both fixed and flexible. Again, it's like Lost. The unchangeable master plan consists only of major milestones. But the route that connects these markers can be found along the way.
So here's my theory. There is a war being waged among various people that have knowledge of Fate's master plan. They know they can't change the unchangeable events — but they're not trying to. What they're trying to change are the details that facilitate those milestones. And those details can include the shape and form of entire lives. The Island is the central battleground for this war, and a final conflict is looming, one which will determine the singular, settled shape of history itself. Many things are at stake, including the very existence of a man who has always lurked in the jungle shadows — a dead man who might yet live again: Jack's father, Christian Shephard.
This is the answer to the Mystery of the Empty Tomb — er, the Empty Coffin: Christian Shephard, the man with the Jesus pun name, is not dead. He's not quite alive, either — not yet. It all depends on the final battle, one that will be settled, no doubt, by a choice that will be made by Jack. If he chooses one way, the timeline takes a form in which Christian remains dead. Jack will go to Australia to rescue his father from a drunken bender and find him in a morgue. If he chooses another way, the timeline takes another form — one in which Jack goes to Australia, finds his father alive, and brings him back... on Oceanic 815.
Until this issue is resolved, poor Christian flickers between existence and non-existence, much in the same way videogame characters do right after they get killed but just before they re-enter the game with new life. Of course, if this theory is correct, and if Jack chooses Door No. 2, then it begs the question: How might Lost be different if Jack's father was among the surviving castaways?
Answer: Season 6, baby, Season 6.
But first, there is Season 5, which begins tonight. To further prep you for the freaky fun time to come, I bring you the next installment of my recent interview with executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, which was conducted for the recent Lost tribute at The Paley Center in New York City. You'll find some cool, revealing stuff within — including a teaser for a brand new series that will premiere at EW.com next week. It involves Lost. It involves video. And it involves, for better or worse, yours truly, Doc Jensen, and my good friend, awesome colleague, and frequent partner in Lost coverage, Dan Snierson. It is called ''Totally Lost.'' It will be totally crazy, it will be totally fun, and it will probably totally destroy my career as an entertainment journalist, especially when we get to the full frontal nudity stuff. That was probably ill advised. But until my ship goes down: Enjoy.
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