Electromagnetism
+1 1 Vote
Rate it:
By Islander
- Electromagnetism
- Created: Jul 18, 2008
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 4.13: There’s No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
…if you follow any other bearing besides 3-2-5, the electromagnetism will effect the compass and navigation will be impossible.
— Islander
Some of this seems so obvious that it must’ve been posted already. I tried searching but I couldn’t find anything, so here it goes!
Everyone knows that the only way to get off the island is to follow a compass bearing of 3-2-5 or 3-0-5. Why must it be this exact bearing? My theory is that if you follow any other bearing besides 3-2-5 or 3-0-5, the electromagnetism will effect the compass and navigation will be impossible.
If you remember in one episode, Sayid notices that the compass Locke gave him does not point directly north. Why? The electromagnetism was blocking the magnetism from the north and south poles. So theoretically, one could still reach the island by luck or by using the stars or some other form of navigation. So the Losties are not in a ‘snow globe’.
And why are there two bearings? My theory is that when Desmond and Locke failed to push the button and reset the timer, all that electromagnetism was released and gone from the island, effecting how much the compass would be affected. Therefore, the bearing changed from 3-0-5 to 3-2-5. Not everyone got the memo that the bearing had changed, which is why both bearings are referred to in recent episodes.
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben | Benjamin Linus | 3.20, 4.9, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1581 |
| Desmond | Desmond David Hume | 2.23, 3.17, 4.5 | 804 |
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.23 | Live Together, Die Alone | 5-24-2006 | Desmond | 293 |
Key events
| Theme | Relevant Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|
| Jack, Kate, and Sawyer captured | 2.23, 3.1 | 191 |
| Michael and Walt released | 2.23 | 278 |
Key locations
| Theme | Relevant Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|
| The Swan station | 2.20, 2.23, 2.14, 2.17, 2.1, 2.2, 1.11, 3.3, 3.8 | 414 |
I’m not sure on the bearing change except that maybe it just moves constantly.
yeah that might make more sense lost4815162342
-Islander
I read somewhere,probably Lostpedia that the 305 comment was a mistake by the actor and should be ignored
As I understand it, bearing 305 is the bearing used to head IN to the island, while bearing 325 is the bearing used to head OUT of the island. Depending on which side of the snow-globe you are on, the electromagnetic properties will change this bearing 20 degrees.
I beLIEve that the specific reason for the bearings is so that people will travel into and out of the island at the correct timeline. Remember when the DOC’s body floated into the island a few days before he was actually killed on the boat? This is because the body floated in at a bearing that was not 305, so he came to the island a few days in the past.
If you watch that episode where Keamy cuts the Doc’s throat (Cabin Fever I believe) and you watch the enhanced version of it (LOST for dummies with the pop-ups on the bottom - can be found at ABC.com) the pop-up screen mentions that his body floated in at the incorrect bearing, which is why he came back in the past. I think Faradays little pod flew in at an incorrect bearing as well, which is why it was 31 minutes late.
I also have a hunch that when the O6 return to the island, they will not be coming in at the correct bearing and we will see some interesting timeline stuff during Season 6.
Your hunch about them coming in at the wrong bearing is a good one Lost_Dbutz. Would definately created some interesting timeline stuff.
Good effort but, Ben actually refers to the 325 bearing when giving Michael the boat in season 2, shortly before the hatch implodes so it is probably just like Lostdbutz says.
LostDButz said, “If you watch that episode where Keamy cuts the Doc’s throat (Cabin Fever I believe) and you watch the enhanced version of it (LOST for dummies with the pop-ups on the bottom - can be found at ABC.com) the pop-up screen mentions that his body floated in at the incorrect bearing, which is why he came back in the past.”
Farraday’s experiment must have revealed the exact bearings of the entry portal; the payload arrived 30 minutes late, and he did some fast calculations. This revealed to him the bearing of 325 which made it possible for Keamy to fly in and slaughter people. (But I don’t think Farraday knew that was his mission.) So I think Michael already knew the bearing, and didn’t need to be told.
atruewalker, how would Michael, a man who had been on the island for only 2 months already know the bearing? The only way he got off the island is because Ben told him the right bearing.
My problem with this theory is this.. If there is a specific bearing to come into the island(305), and a different specific bearing to leave the island(325), Then why does Faraday tell Lapidus the chopper pilot to fly back to the freighter on the exact same bearing he flew in on? Also if you remember the episode when locke burries Mr.Eko on Eko’s stick it says north 305.
My guess is that the bearing given to Micheal by Ben is correct… and that Faradays bearing is a little off, If you remember that is the bearing followed that caused Desmond’s flashes to violently accelerate. And though Faraday seem smart he also seems perpetually confused as if he doesn’t fully understand the bearing/ timeshift issue.