the Magical Compass

So what's the deal with the compass Richard gives to John Locke?

In 1954 the compass looks brand new. In 2007 the compass is weathered and worn, for all the years of use by Richard.

But then the Fake Locke [or "FLocke" as people like to call him ...] instructs Richard is to give the compass to the time-skipping [and real] John Locke. Locke jumps back to 1954 with this weathered and worn compass, which magically becomes a brand new compass.

Not only does this seem to not be logical [the old compass becoming new again ... after all Locke didn't go back to the age he was in 1954, so why should the compass he was carrying?], this Magical Compass seems to have no existence outside of the 1954-2007 time loop.

If anyone has any theory as to how this is possible please share.



I have one idea : quantum time.

When Locke goes from 2007 to 1954, the quantum clock ruling his physical age does not reset to 1954 ... this would be impossible anyway, since he was not even conceived yet in 1954. For him there was no time travel. It was, rather, the Island and certain of it's occupants that were jumping thru time seemingly randomly. It was the Island that was moved [or moving, as it were] ... Ms Hawking said the Island was always moving.

I believe the time-skipping of the Island was initiated by Ben turning the wheel and the wheel slipping from its axis. The movement of the Island was stopped when Locke fixed the wheel. But the movement of the Island takes place throughout various moment of times past, present and future. To the perspective of those off-Island, it seems to be always moving about in space-time. To the perspective of John Locke and the select Losties which remain on the Island fixed in normal time, they Island is jumping about in time. To Richard and the Others, the Losties are jumping thru time.

It's all a matter of perspective. And perspective implies observation.

But the compass is not a sentient being ... it can observe nothing ... therefore its quantum clock is fixed to normal time. In 1954 [normal time] the compass is brand new ... then it flows normal thru time till 2007, in the possession of Richard who is observing it all those years ... Richard's observation of the compass, gives the compass its quantum behavior, because it is observation which determines effect in quantum physics.

In 2007 Richard give the compass to John Locke who does not know why he is being given the compass, nor does he observe it. He just puts it in his pocket, and when the Island skips back to 1954 moments later, Locke gives the compass to Richard.

Richard is special, being made that way by Jacob. In 1954, neither Richard nor Locke know what the deal is with the compass. The compass passes from Locke to Richard and Richard puts it in his pocket. We then see the compass years later when Richard is showing it to a teenage John Locke.

Between the time Locke gives the compass to Richard and Richard shows the compass to Locke, we do not know what happens to make the compass no longer the quantum age it is in 2007.

But I am guessing Richard's contact with Jacob [who -like Richard - seems timeless] might have everything to do with it.

It is, after all, the same compass. The compass must have been made before 1954 and it may have been given to Richard by Jacob ... there may have been an exchange of some sort where the 2007 compass that Locke gave to Richard in 1954 was disposed of by Jacob and a newly made compass was given to Richard by Jacob, without Richard knowing.

I am sure we will never know. We can't ask the compass ... the compass is not alive and does not observe anything.

I would like to hear what others think about the compass.

I would also like to know what others think about how Jacob seemingly knows the future.

Quantum Physics has everything to do with. The Island is Schrodinger's Cat.

i just read about your cat...heavy stuff....interesting but, i must say, over my head, and i'm no idiot....but i have to say, that when we get down to it, jacob and MM will be from the future, trying desparately to change that particular future...there are certain rules...certain people who know whats going on....and where they have come from has been destroyed...they are, in effect, mans last chance to save themselves from their own future.....kind of a reverse terminator scenario....jacob and MM come back in time to SAVE mankind

good thoughts on the whole thing.

as far as time goes, there are other direction than past and future.
there is such a thing as "Sideways Time" [see the new Land of the Lost film for a reference]

because the Island is jumping around in time, it can gather information from the future and give it to someone in the past.

also Jacob may have got the Flight 180 Manifest from one of the Others that might have took it when the remains of the Losties were killed by the flaming arrows in the 1954 time-skip.

so either by ordinary means in an extraordinary situation or the opposite, Jacob gathered information about the future. He didn't have to come from the future to know the future. but it is as possible as anything else that Jacob is from another time and space. or, at least, has been affected by something from another time and space.

the Others are nothing more than a narrative devise. they are not real to the outside world. they are the narrators of the Island's story ... the author of the book is Jacob ... the Island is the book ... smoke monster is the text of the book ... the surviving Losties are reading the book and writing the last chapter, which Jacob had not finished when he dies.

this as good a place as any to talk about my old theory that Richard came to the Island in chains on Black Rock ... we saw proof in this weeks episode ... we also saw that Richard is weak and cannot lead anything on his own ... Richard has no faith in Jacob or the Island ... also Jacob knew he had to die, but was not sure who would kill him.

eric, i was thinking the same thing about dans' journal. his mom shoots him, gets his journal, and years later, gives him the same journal?

not sure what is up with the journal