Analysis: 4.5 The Constant
+20 36 Votes
Rate it:
By AngeloComet
- Analysis: 4.5 The Constant
- Created: Mar 3, 2008
- Last updated: Sep 19, 2008
- After episode: 4.5: The Constant
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
Our brains can’t cope with the ‘everything happening at once’ concept.
— AngeloComet
Mystery is a constant in Lost, but as promised we were going to start receiving answers. With The Constant we were properly introduced to not one Minkowski, but two – and the pair of them combined delivered some tremendous insight. Sayid asked Desmond what he thought he would find on the freighter. “Answers,” was the reply. So to the freighter, for answers, we shall journey. Hold on tight. This ride can be a little bumpy. . .
The first Minkowski, George Minkowski, turned out to be unable to come to the phone because he and his buddy Brandon had taken a trip closer to the Island and fried their brains in the yo-yo of consciousness time-travel. George proved useful in showing that Desmond was not unique in his mind-travel antics. He also provided a plot pressure point by dying, like a white rat, as Desmond would certainly have done had he not completed his mental circuit time loop with the lovely Penny.
Old George also managed to indicate that the saboteur on the boat – Ben’s “man”, no doubt – was quietly aiding Sayid and Desmond (after having gone crazy in the communications room). “Looks like you guys have a friend on this boat,” said George. This aiding and abetting gathers more evidence to support the idea that Ben’s man on the boat is Michael. Quite what he’s up to, however, is anyone’s guess.
The real Minkowski of this episode, though, is Hermann Minkowski; the scientist who theorised about the oneness of space and time. Fret not, I’ll be keeping this simple. Before this brief explanation is done you’ll probably realise how it equates to Desmond. See, what Hermann Minkowksi figured out was that there wasn’t really such a thing as time. Rather the whole universe is like a photograph, just in 4-D. Everything happens/is happening/happened at once, in an instant.
That’s hard to imagine, right? Which is why we require a sense of time. Of one thing following another. We experience event after event in a linear fashion. Our brains can’t cope with the ‘everything happening at once’ concept. But working on the principle that everything is all happening at once, then Desmond’s experiences (in Flashes Before Your Eyes and The Constant) are that of a consciousness breaking loose of the linear rationalisation of time and gaining awareness of the oneness of space and time.
Unfortunately, as George Minkowski and a white rat can attest, cramming that level of awareness into a human brain is like trying to pour an ocean into a thimble – it doesn’t fit. And so what we saw here was Desmond trying to re-connect with a linear view of time by completing the mental circuit of his ‘past’ and his ‘present’ by the one constant, Penny, before his brain overloaded. Thankfully Desmond succeeded, but it wouldn’t have been the case were it not for one man: Daniel Faraday. More specifically a younger, less of a “head case” Daniel Faraday.
As mentioned in previous analyses, Dan clearly has memory problems. The suggestion is that exposure to radiation twenty times a day for who knows how long has seriously affected his memory. On the bright side this did avoid any time paradox inconveniences. Having Desmond turn up eight years before he goes to the Island no doubt bolstered Dan’s scientific research and genius enough to make it essential for him to journey to the Island in the first place, but then he promptly went and forgot about it.
If anything goes wrong Desmond Hume will be my constant.
In a neat, circular parallel (there were many cyclical references scattered through the episode) Dan, who saved Desmond, himself has Des as his own ‘saviour’ Constant. I’m not quite sure I can wrap my time-addled mind around what that means, exactly, but I know I like how poetic it all feels. The beginning of the end, or the beginning is the end?
Interestingly, this episode gives all of the other flashbacks (and flashforwards) we have seen a deeper sub-level of meaning. A sub-conscious level, if you like. As though on the Island our Losties are delving into their own previous experiences as they go about their time on the Island – they just don’t experience it as acutely as Desmond did.
One such example that springs to mind from Season One is Jack, during White Rabbit. In flashback we have the story of Jack flying to Sydney to track down his father. On-Island he follows visions of his father through the jungle. The parallels are unmistakeable.
Is it too much of a stretch to imagine Jack’s sub-conscious ‘living’ the time he went to Sydney looking for his father? And that Desmond, by virtue of his high dose of electromagnetism exposure, has simply become more attuned to this sub-conscious?
And that’s a flashback example. I think of how Sayid was drawn to Naomi’s bracelet, before he humanely covered up her body, as though he was somehow aware that in a flashforward he would encounter a woman named Elsa, that he would eventually kill whilst she wore a similar bracelet.
How’s about that for the oneness of space and time all happening in an instant? Only fools are enslaved by time and space. I think this is a quietly astonishing, subtle layer the Lost creators have embroidered in to the show’s fabric. They don’t have to press that idea further, or do anything more to make it fit: it’s just there, existing, as a constant.
Yeah!! maybe Faraday have the Memento(movie) sickness… Maybe on the island you can bring your past on the island like Kate see the horse of her past and Locke’s “Dad” appears on the island…
Great analysis +1 ( it would be 10 if I could)
Metaphysics - not the easiest thing to get your head around! I have a philosophy degree and can still only grasp the basics. Whats being mentioned in lost obviously doesn’t require a massive understanding of the subject, but how does it relate to the story?
Going on what we know however (or can at least presume):
The Button not being pushed led to a build up of electromagnitism causing the plane crash and subjecting the losties to the same electromagnitism. To what effect is unknown but I’m inclined to agree with Angelo’s idea of it playing upon the subconsciousness as no time-shifting seems to have occured on the Losties. Will come back to this point later.
The Fail Safe key being turned obviously led to electomagnitism being exposed to Desmond on a level great enough to free his mind of a linear perseption of time. Yet this is exclusive to Desmond. Can we assume that the level of magnatisim in the Swan Station is less powerful that the magnatisim which encapsulates the island; hiding it and making it invisible, if thats an accurate term?
So the next thing we need to establish is the source of the E.M. The incident is mentioned but as stated, I feel the Swan station is unable to generate the same levles of E.M naturally occuring on the island. The volcano - a possiblity but I can only guess. My guess, the Swan was trying to harness the E.M of the island and failed, hence the incident.
We can further assume that the E.M is naturally occuring due to the Black Rock, its appearance in the episode was encouraging to the idea. Widmore’s interest in the jounal and the mention of Hanzo as the ships captain etc…..So I’m guessing that at some point, while sailing across the pacific the Black Rock encountered E.M and ended up on the island. The E.M has existed for a long time. The effects on the crew are again open to specultation but I’m inclined to believe Jacob is involved - his dislike for technology is critical. Did he time shift forward? Is he continuing to time shift now? Has he harnessed the ability to control the shifts? Are his directions to Ben / Locke as a result of advance knowledge? Maybe, probably not.
As mentioned by Angelo its a cyclical theme, Jacob will be trying to bring about an eventual release or complete a series of events for whatever reason. The words spoken to Locke were ‘Help Me’ after all.
1+ for the analysis Angelo but just can’t agree with “They don’t have to press that idea further, or do anything more to make it fit: it’s just there, existing, as a constant’. They have to be going somewhere with this in terms of the wider story.
Cimmerian - I was nodding to the point where you suggested the Black Rock ‘picked up’ the EM capacity… Personally, I think the EM is (as you stated) a part of the Island and the Swan Station ‘mined’ into it. Maybe ‘the incident’ was mining too far, too much, and perhaps creating an uncontrollable fissure requiring EM to be vented. You can thrown in Casimir side-effects in to that mix, too!
I see your point (and frustration am I sensing?) about the ‘mind time travel’ notion needing to be taken further, but I am of the opposite view. I love how Desmond’s story is embroiled in this phenomena, but I wouldn’t want this to be extended to (m)any other characters. Lost would become a show about mind time travel, and that’s not what we’re all invested in.
So when I said the flashbacks/forwards could exist in the show as a kind of sub-conscious playing out, I stand by liking it to remain as a sub-theme. Kind of like how the 4 8 15 16 23 42 permeate the Lost universe, existing alongside the narrative of the show, without ever fully breaking through to become a major factor in determining what the whole show is about.
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
This is why I started visiting this website in the first place. Great theory and comments. +1
+1 Angelo.
The whole post was good, but the most insightful part for me was the part about Michael opening the door for Dez and Sayid. I can’t believe that never crossed my mind. I thought it was Frank.
gonna have to give you a big +1 mate that wasa very interesting read.
I’m gonna mail that to my mate who is equally confused the last episode
Yeah, the fustration is there alright!
I totally agree that having this only apply to Desmond is better than having it extend to other characters and alter the meaning of the entire show. The writers have given us enough in the episode to suggest a back story and as you say could just be left. The only thing annoying me here is if the EM and time-travel aren’t key to the story, it suggests they’re not key to the island. So what the hell is to follow? If the DI and Ben + The Others are more interested in something potentially greater or more useful / valuable, I just have to wonder whats next. Thats the joy of Lost I guess!
AC, I have been searching this site daily since”The Constant” episode looking for your analysis for it! I guess that makes you my constant !lol Now seriously I have been trying to wrap my brain around this most recent enigma concerning mind travel! I can accept it that Desmond traveled back to earlier actual events in his life, what I can’t grasp is how he is able to interact with Dan and Penny.
I will try to explain what I mean by these two examples:
First he goes to find past Dan in 1996 as present Dan has told him to in 2004. Now here is where it gets difficult how does he interact with past Dan who tells him among other things that he needs a constant when it is only his mind that goes to that past?
Second he then goes to see Penny, and explains to her that he needs to call her on Christmas Eve in eight years, but he can’t do that unless he has her phone number! Again if this is his mind doing the jump back to 1996 , how does he get those answers that he needs to bring back to his present time in 2004? To put it another way ,Dan tells Desmond, if he can’t convince him that he has actually spoke to him in a future time to say ” I know about Eloise”. How can that event even happen in the past, if it is just Desmond ‘s mind travel.
I like this theory, I like it a lot. So if Des mind shifts, makes an amendment, and mind shifts back (with or without using the constant), would this cause his ‘present’ to change? These changes, one assumes are immediate/instant, then would the mind create the new memories – in effect – instantly? Memorising the phone number tends to suggest, yes, absolutely. (Wichowski “I was just on a ferris wheel” was a nice touch…..going round and round and round – lets call this ‘cyclical; : ) If Des’s experiences actually happened, then did his ‘experiences’ when back in the army actually manifest themselves……..the first time round. Looking at cyclical time, then yes. Is it this unfortunate, unexpected insubordination that gets him thrown out of the army in the first place – black outs? (as yet this is unexplained). Dare I compare with an average movie, but the butterfly effect tackled time ‘travel’ (I don’t think I’ve ever used so many inverted comma’s before) in a similar way. Instant memory causing black outs and nose bleeds…. I may be an old romantic too, but the theme of absolute Love (and trust) is an amazing and powerful way to express the shows ideas. It’s the perfect constant. +1
KSJ - Hope it was worth the wait!
(For what it’s worth, the link to my blog on my profile is where I usually post this analysis first. That version is usually up by Sunday. That version has pictures. But I like to post here on a Monday for any fellow UK people’s benefit (the episode is shown on TV here in the UK on a Sunday). LT still remains the best place for discussion and feedback!
As for Desmond’s time travelling antics in The Constant, Lojozz and I have been discussing this over e-mail for half the day. It’s more confusing than I first realised. If I get my head around it, I’ll post my breakdown explanation.
+1 Angelo for another well explained, insightful theory. I was in total agreemen with you right up to here:
“Is it too much of a stretch to imagine Jack’s sub-conscious ‘living’ the time he went to Sydney looking for his father? And that Desmond, by virtue of his high dose of electromagnetism exposure, has simply become more attuned to this sub-conscious?”
For me, yes. I think the flashbacks and flashforwards stand alone. The producers have said as much. The flashbacks are to tell the stories of the characters pasts and the flashforwards are moving the story forward to after island time. IMHO :-)
Nice wording.
It was almost an emotional, speech-like theory.
+1
Angelo, I went to your blog! Actually tried to sign up, but had trouble with my Google account ( I think I have two) but enjoyed it very much!
AC, It was definitely worth the wait,and thanks for the reminder about your blog,I forgot about it ! I also forgot to give you a +1 and like wtf has said it would be 10 if that were possible ! I sincerely mean that. :)
Katesawjack - Try to remember that Des (or anyone else) isn’t travelling forward or backwards. Everything exists and happens at the same time, our minds are dependant on time to measure changes and to interpret the universe with regards to our intellect.
Time is an illusion, thats the key!
To help you understand: Using television as an analogy, the picture we enjoy seeing , the progression of a storyline with characters acting out a script, is but a trick of perception. What exists, what is really there, is quite literally one electron at a time fired from the back of the television tube to the screen to be illuminated once it hits the screen as a tiny dot. The continuous barrage of electrons-turned-into-dots creates the appearance of images, as scanning lines roll from top to bottom separating information coming in (new dots) from information fading out (old dots). You adjust the vertical hold on your set, not to remove strange bars appearing in the picture, but to place all screen activity within the range of your own perceptual preference. A television picture tube is nothing more than a “gun” that fires electrons at a screen. Your mind connects the electron dots into the picture images you think you see, while it totally ignores the true reality of what actually undergirds the operation. The way television operates, at least in our daily experience of it, is an illusion.
Existence is a lot like television. What exists, what really exists, can’t be fathomed by how it appears to operate or what it seems to be.
Des can’t remember certain things because his mind cannot understand the how the universe actually exists or his movement from seemingly one time to another, hence the constant is required. However Desmond can still comprehend enough to make the new future reality in 2004 come into existance. You cannot change the future as Des learned so he was simply, unkwnowingly to him, completing his past while in the future. Please someone tell me that made sense to them!
Cimmerian, Thanks for trying to explain something that is still very difficult to grasp. Maybe it is a realm that is possibly never going to be completely understood. I guess it may be possible to explain it as something like a dream,where you awake from feeling that you were actually in that place and time. I believe that it may be possible that when someone dreams that you may actually exist there on a higher plane.(Just hope it’s not flight 815( just a little humor there, If you can’t laugh at yourself a little,then who can you laugh at ?
If I have a dream of my mother that had passed away almost 30 years ago,and it seems real,who can say that on a different level of existence that it might not have actually happened. I think I am getting in way to deep here now. and I never learned to swim!! lol I do understand your analogy about the television signal though ! :)
Also - just remembered what Penny said to Des in the letter at the end of Series 2 “Please don’t give up, Des. Because all we really need to survive is one person who truly loves us. And you have her. I will wait for you. Always. I love you, Pen”
I may be going mad and over analysing but if that was planned, Bravo!
Great analysis AC. Your snapshot comment got me thinking about Locke and his on and off again paralysis. Not to mention other questions like the island’s ability to heal and the pregnancy issues.
If the island is basically the representation of that snapshot in time, then people are experiencing past present and future problems on some level all at once.
Cimmerian, I am a hopeless romantic when it comes to Desmond and Penny. I absolutely thought that scene with them on the phone was one of the best love scenes I have ever seen. But I digress.
That is not the reason I came back to this post though, it was to tell you I left you a comment on your theory , and wanted you to take a look at it and tell me what you think ?
I completely agree with the notion of “time in an instant”. The writers use of flashforward/flashbacks i believe is the only way to convey that notion. As the show progresses I think we will begin to be clued into the grander vision of “time in an instant”.
I had a post of similat thoughts that you may wish to look at: http://lost-theories.com/theories/2008/mar/01/its-all-about-probablilities/
very good post +1
LittleBen - I think you and I are seeing this episode in the same way.
Cimmerian - “You cannot change the future, as Des learned, so he was simply, unknowingly to him, completing his past while in the future.”
Well put.
KSJ - Desmond’s mind did actually travel. Think of where you were at this precise moment yesterday. Got it? OK. Now imagine, yesterday, you suddenly snap into what you’re doing right now. You’d be confused by how you’d moved; where the time had gone and so forth. Then a few minutes later, you snap back to yesterday and resume what you were doing (only now you have an insight to what you’ll be doing 24 hours later). The trick question is: Do you still do what you experienced doing tomorrow or do you do something else entirely? Course correction suggests, whether you try to change or not, you won’t be able to avoid it.
Annie - I take your point about the FBs and the FFs. In fairness, it was more of a point in the vein of ‘it’s there if you like it’ rather than ‘this is how I think it really is’.
AC, This is not meant to be funny,but it probably is. It would not be hard to imagine where I was at this precise moment yesterday, or will be again tomorrow. I will be or was probably was sitting here at this keyboard as I am now, either typing away or reading more lost-theories. :)
I sometimes think Lost has stolen my so called life! I do understand what you are saying though.Thanks ,I would plus you again,but only one per customer is the rule I guess. You are terrific at understanding,and replying!
Awesome analysis AC, as usual. Every Thursday night, right about 10pm, I think to myself, I can’t wait to read AC’s take on this one! Because no matter how much I analysis that episode, you still manage to open up another possibility! And I didn’t know you had a blog! Sweet!
I’ve not seen any theories about the man with binoculars on the boat on this site (if I missed it, sorry!). I’ve read elsewhere people swearing up and down that it’s Micheal. They say he’s obviously black (I don’t see that at all, it seems to dark). I think I see the possibility of a beard, but maybe I just want to see a beard in the shadows? I don’t know. Maybe someone with a better eye can expand on this idea.
I did have a question about your analysis. When you say “Jack’s sub-conscious ‘living’ the time he went to Sydney,” do you mean that the Christian he sees in only in his sub-conscious? The same for Kate’s horse and Hurley’s “Dave”? This would allow that only Jack (or Kate or Hurley) could see their visions, right?
My point for all this is that when Hurley is at the Cabin, he sees a shadowy figure in the rocking chair. We all know that this figure is Christian. Hurley surely wouldn’t have known that its Jack’s father even if it was well lighted. So if Christian is just in Jack’s sub-conscious, why was Hurley able to see him? Also, in one of the webcasts I believe, we see Christian interacting with Vincent…
Perhaps I’m misunderstanding, if so, please set me straight!
Danny, thanks for the compliments!
The point I was making about the sub-conscious is, as in some of the other comments, more a kind of additional way of looking at Lost. Like, Jack chasing his father through the jungle paralleled his flashback (sub-conscious memories) pursuit of his father in Sydney.
The Sydney pursuit ended at the morgue. The jungle pursuit ended at an empty coffin.
I guess what I was saying was that the flashbacks give a kind of insight into what the characters may be thinking (and kind of re-living in their sub-conscious memories) of events that happened before the Island whilst they are on the Island.
It’s just a thematic thing and, in answer to your question, I am definitely not saying any of the manifestations are products of a character’s sub-conscious.
My nose just started to bleed… +1
A/C….another great post. Summarizing the main thrust of “The Constant” and bringing up some insightful and interesting ideas.
A couple of points worth mentioning — sry if they are confusing, I’m trying to sort this out:
(1) As a reminder, Minkowski is not the only character in this episode whose namesake is played on in this episode — for the other, we need look no further than Desmond David Hume. David Hume, the Scottish philosopher — famously rejected our understanding of cause and effect by arguing, at its base level, that our perception of cause and effect is the product of our LINEAR perception of time (i.e. arguing if we perceived time differently, we might say that the cause of a glass assembling was its rising off the floor.). Thus, to have this specific character live the “4-D” Minkowski world where linear time perceptions are thrown askew, is another brilliant layer by the Lost writers. BTW, I know this is the umpteenth time I have mentioned this specific pt. - sry!
(2) Question: On Farraday having memory problems. Do you think simple memory problems is how they intend to solve the paradox of Faraday being able to remember Des prior to meeting him. I mean, OK, its cute but is that it? How would that explain the entry in DF’s notebook regarding Des, which would have the same sort of paradoxical implication (2004 notebook could not have had 96’ entry until instructions in 2004 were given). IMO, the better answer - and the one I think the show is giving — is that there is no paradox. The supposed paradox itself actually arises from two simple ideas: (i) time is linear — debunked by Minkowski space time; and (ii) no effect (remembering Desmond) can logically precede its cause (meeting him) — ahhhh wait, there is that Humian rejoinder. Splendid!
Continuuing (lol sry for the length):
(3) I am withholding judgment on this whole course-correction point. Free will and fate are such prevalent themes in this show that a wholesale course correction (or only limited deviation) would do these themes an injustice.
I have little or no reason to trust Ms. Hawking yet. As discussed ad infinitum on this site, the only real examples of course correction are very dicey: Des and Charlie – Des placed Charlie in danger almost habitually (i.e. the arrow, lightning rod) after the first time he supposedly & inexplicably saved Charlie from drowning (Charlie was too far away to hear the screams!!!!!). Of course, saving Charlie from these self-believed dangers also led Desmond to convince Charlie that he needed to DROWN (OK cmon here).
The only other example I can remember off the top of my head was Des getting clubbed. Yet, this was partly his own fault (running headlong into people he knew were coming). Not to say there is no course correction, I am just withholding judgment.
(4) A question I had is does anyone else think that DF may have used (inadvertently) his own machine and already time-traveled.
Evidence: (i) We know he has access to a machine that, if larger ostensibly, could transport him; (ii) DF crying when he sees about the crash of Flight 815 as if he has some recollection of it.
The implications of this are interesting:
Implication #1 — What if the radiation issue is not necessarily what effects his memory — what if an accumulation of radiation (over an extended period of time) triggered a jump to the future — to the island. This is interesting an explains why he has some vague recollection (causing him to cry) of Flight 815.
Here, DF’s memory problems are not simply a product of radiation but are a survival mechanism. By sub-consciously suppressing his memory of a jump, etc., DF can survive (this brilliant man has an awfully big thimble). But this comes at a cost, it makes him forget too much (i.e. the live in nurse is needed).
Implication #2 — DF came to the island b/c he hoped he could find some answers to reclaim his life. Find his Constant. Why did Desmond have to go back to tell DF about his work??? It appears that DF figured it out for himself anyway (he read the numbers from his notebook, right?). By going back, DF knew that Desmond would give him a constant (or a possiblity of one).
Implication #3 — Perhaps Daniel Farraday is not trying to “remember” the past when they are playing cards — he is trying to remember his experience of the future (thus, he should know what all the cards say). What an advantage that would be on the island right, esp. against scheming Ben, ?!!!?!!!
Ok, maybe this is getting a little out there, but I just wanted to throw that out as a possibility.
Just saw that Ekotheman has a great post relating to Faraday…I am linking it below.
http://www.lost-theories.com/theories/2008/feb/29/faraday-time-shifting/
I don’t see how EM affects a wooden ship.
Igs - amazing comments. The Desmond Hume philosophy is always worth reiterating, and its relevance here can’t be understated.
Like you, I am intrigued by Dan’s possibility of having time travelled in some propensity. The fact the episode ended with that notebook slogan weighs more importance upon it - it almost feels like a major revelation that’s simply so complicated its impact got lost.
However, the way I saw it, Dan’s note was a preventative measure. If, on journeying to or from the Island he got caught in the same time travel problem and ended up back in his past, he knew he had someone he would meet in his own past that would definitely be encountered on the Island and therefore he could resolve his own need for a Constant.
AC, One more thing that I don’t understand in this episode about Minkowski. When Desmond did time-travel in his consciousness, You see, He didn’t remember Sayid on the boat. “Who are you? he said” He didn’t remember anything about what he did on the island.
So we expect Minkowski did the same way. But Minkowski remembered what he did when he was on the boat. (we say island time) After time-travel (I think he was in his childhood so he couldn’t find his constant), Minkowski said they sailed to see island, he said he was communication officer. How could be possible? I think there is a big gap on this theory for producers.
I hope you got the idea. What do you think?
TOST - It’s fairly simple to explain this, actually. (He says!)
Island-time Desmond did not travel back in time. Rather, Island-time Desmond’s consciousness got ‘taken over’ by the consciousness of his old self. The consciousness that was in the army, that did not know anything about the Island, got ‘sucked’ into Island-time. Thus why he had no idea about The Freighter, or who Sayid was, or any of it.
Think of it like you, a year ago, and the thoughts you had then, suddenly ‘jumping’ into your head right now and taking over your current state of mind. Chances are, you’d be utterly confused about how you suddenly arrived a year later, still as yourself, but perhaps with people, and in a place, you never recognised.
Translating this idea to Minkowski, it becomes clear that Island-time Minkowski’s consciousness did go back in time. That is, his consciousness went back to a point in his past and took over.
This is precisely what happened to Desmond’s consciousness during the episode Flashes Before Your Eyes.
In short: Desmond’s consciousness from the past got sucked to Island-time. Minkowski’s thoughts from Island-time got whisked off into his past.
Hope that made sense to you!
Thanks AC. That makes sense. You got my +1 when I read your theory, i wish i had one another :)
I liked what you said:
“Desmond’s consciousness from the past got sucked to Island-time. Minkowski’s thoughts from Island-time got whisked off into his past”
so what are the rules AC?
I mean we have got two situations so far. Desmond experienced them both. (the episode Flashes Before Your Eyes and The Constant) Do you think we will see another situation?
if you have to live: 1- You have to be on the island when you are experiencing it. (island has protection function) 2- Or you have to need Constant you really care about.
Was that possible in reverse position for Desmond and Minkowski? Why didn’t they experience the same thing?
Tost - I don’t know if there are rules. It would seem the requirement for a ‘Constant’ only exists when travelling to and from the Island (if one has been exposed to high levels of radiation or electromagnetism).
Desmond’s initial experience, in Flashes Before Your Eyes, I put down to purely being at point blank range of the electromagnetic anomaly. Like he received one big jolt that knocked his consciousness away, but without the yo-yo effects.
Not exactly a scientific response, but it’s not exactly science!