The flashing has stopped. So the danger from that is gone. Why do the O6 need to come back? What do they now need to save the Lefties from? I do still think the Lefties need saving - Ben/Charles/Richard would have known about the flashing stopping. But what do the Lefties need saved from now? The Purge maybe?

True, they no longer have the threat of the nose bleed style death. They don't really need saving in the 1970's, because The Purge happens around 20 years later in 1992. So I don't really know why the O6 must come back.

I think the flashing has stopped because the 06 have come back.

I think the flashing has stopped because the 06 have come back.

You'd be wrong about that. I hypothesized the same thing a while ago before we knew what we do now, but it's clear from this episode that the flashes stopped immediately after Locke "fixed" the FWD. The O6 got back 3 years after the flashes stopped.

To the OP: agreed with you. I asked this same question a few episodes back. It's still not clear why the O6 had to return, when everyone left on the island is in no more danger than they were at any other point in time on the island.
Perhaps they can save them from The Purge somehow? That's all I can think of

The fact that they are still stranded on the island and crazy stuff is happening.

Not sure otherwise, though the Purge is obviously a bad thing for them to be around in.

Whatever the reason is, it hasn't happened yet. We'll find out.

Locke doesn't know that the flashing stopped, so he still thinks he has to save everyone and the island by bringing them all back. Ben and Widmore? They have their own agenda(s), so they want the O5 back for other reasons.

We know why they have to go back. Widmore says to Locke he and the other's have to go back because their is a war coming and if they are not back the right side won't win. And look where they are, the time of the Purge. Is this what Charles is referring to? Is it Locke who initiates the Purge along with the Losties and if their not back the DI will purge the Hostiles? Could be.

Good imput Nancy, but I think it was clear from the first scene that the flashing stopped the second Locke put the wheel back on its axis, just as Richard had told him. Unfortunately, I'm skeptic that there is any reason the O6 would have to return. Without any real tie to the lefties anymore, the O6 sould have stayed off the island for good. In a sane understandable world, they could have stayed off the island, no harm no foul. Still, I am certain the writing staff has the smarts to patch up this loophole before the end of the season :D

There was an interview with Damon & Carlton in which they said that the specifics of why they have to go back is show ending stuff and we will start to see why towards the end of the season 5 and in more detail in season 6.

I'm thinking that there is going to be a huge reveal towards the end of this season and that reveal is going to have to do with the parents of the 06 or that the 06 have some connection to the Island.

We were just glad that we didn't have to hear that phrase again. You know "that phrase." Don't make me say it. Hint: it has to do with the title of this thread.


P. S. GO VINCENT! YET AGAIN.

I guess the simplest answer is that the Island is not done with them yet.

I assumed they had to come back, because they alwayd DID go back, they were always a part of the history of the island. Whatever happened, happened. And them being there did happen, so if they didn't go back it would destory the space time continum like in B2TF. But you know what happens when you assume.....you're wrong sometimes.

I assumed they had to come back, because they alwayd DID go back, they were always a part of the history of the island. Whatever happened, happened. And them being there did happen, so if they didn't go back it would destory the space time continum like in B2TF. But you know what happens when you assume.....you're wrong sometimes.
But everyone (Locke, Jack, Ben, Richard) are all going around saying the O6 have to go back to save their friends. Originally, I thought they had to go back to stop the island from time skipping and ultimately preventing the Lefties from dying from bloody nose disease.
But this all stopped when Locke fixed the FDW. Now what is the big danger the Lefties need saving from?

In the words of John Locke "They were never supposed to leave". :) Seriously though, I have no idea.

I think the original 815 flight members have to go back to the island because they now have a chance to right certain wrongs. Since they're now in the 70's, they can prevent certain things from happening (the Purge for instance?) and because of their actions, perhaps prevent their plane from even crashing in 2006.

I know it doesn't make much sense and I know Faraday said it's not possible to mess with the timeline and the time/space continuum....buuut I still think the original 815-ers have to ALL be back in order to "right what's wrong."

In terms of the 815 passengers who have since died on the island? I think that's definitely irreversible. They can pop up in different timeloops (ie: Christian, Charlie) but I still think death is finite, no matter how or when they have died.

Richard Alpert told Locke when he was removing the bullet from Locke's leg that he knew to find Locke there, that Locke needed to bring the O6 back and that Locke would have to die to do it. He knew to find Locke there because Locke tells Alpert at some future point we haven't seen yet so you have to suppose that Locke also tells Alpert in the future that the O6 needed to come back and that he has to die to succeed.

So at the moment it seems future Locke tells present Locke to bring the O6 back and that is how this mission begins for him. Present Locke doesn't know why yet and neither do we. Present Locke trusts future Alpert to have the island's interests at heart and follows the instructions.

Maybe Locke has also finally found someone he can trust completely in his future self. Or it could be the ultimate betrayal. :biggrin:

Or Richard knows the Losties are part of the Purge in his past which means they NEED to be there because if it happened, it always happened. So Richard/Jacob/Christian know they need the Losties back so they can be their for the Purge.

Remember it was Richard who was the very first person who said the O6 need to come back. The only other person who said that was Christian. Obviously they know something not everyone else knows.

I think it should be quite clear to everyone that the O6 have a part to play in the past. If they dont play that part, well, the past is not the past is it?

Yes, the wheel was unstuck by Locke, but lets remember they are in the 1970's. That isnt exactly saved. Obviously, Faraday is working on a way to the wheel to get them all back to their proper time

Lets remember, this time shifting nosebleed was not the only thing to try and stop. Everyone was under extreme torment, including the O6 since they left--as it seems the Island was causing great pain to all parties involved. Focusing on only one part of that torment is missing the entire storyline.

I think we would also have to be pretty blind to miss the fact that they are being manipulated. Desmond had it right. They are just pawns. The Island wants them back, Ben wants them back, Widmore wants them back, Hawkings wants them back. They DID something in the past that must be done--or undone(it seems widmore's motive is to change things).

If their is audience confusion it is in not paying attention--BUT this has, of course , not been pristine story execution. They seem to take for granted that most of the audience understood but I think we needed a few more moments of emphasis on the fact that all the losties lives were turned upside down since the O6 left

I think it should be quite clear to everyone that the O6 have a part to play in the past. If they dont play that part, well, the past is not the past is it?

Yes, the wheel was unstuck by Locke, but lets remember they are in the 1970's. That isnt exactly saved. Obviously, Faraday is working on a way to the wheel to get them all back to their proper time

Lets remember, this time shifting nosebleed was not the only thing to try and stop. Everyone was under extreme torment, including the O6 since they left--as it seems the Island was causing great pain to all parties involved. Focusing on only one part of that torment is missing the entire storyline.

I think we would also have to be pretty blind to miss the fact that they are being manipulated. Desmond had it right. They are just pawns. The Island wants them back, Ben wants them back, Widmore wants them back, Hawkings wants them back. They DID something in the past that must be done--or undone(it seems widmore's motive is to change things).

If their is audience confusion it is in not paying attention--BUT this has, of course , not been pristine story execution. They seem to take for granted that most of the audience understood but I think we needed a few more moments of emphasis on the fact that all the losties lives were turned upside down since the O6 left

I don't know. The Lefties look pretty happy in Otherville between 1974-1977. They certainly don't look like anyone in need of rescue from danger. Also, if you noticed, none of them opted for the sub ride home.

We know why they have to go back. Widmore says to Locke he and the other's have to go back because their is a war coming and if they are not back the right side won't win. And look where they are, the time of the Purge. Is this what Charles is referring to? Is it Locke who initiates the Purge along with the Losties and if their not back the DI will purge the Hostiles? Could be.
1977 is not the time of the Purge. That's in 1992.

1977 is not the time of the Purge. That's in 1992.

True. Didn't think about that. Considering we saw small Charlotte we have to be in the 70s. Aww...that was really cute but heartbreaking. Anyways off-track.

Hmm.....I am guessing that they have to fix something in the 70s that happened. Perhaps the fact that women can't conceive on the island?

because:

ME said that this season is about children. the whole pregnancy thing of women dying who conceive on island seems to be what they need to fix and then next season is the purge??? But I'm under the impression that its end game for this season considering the losties are still split up somewhat.

I don't know why there in the 70's I figured they came back to bring Locke back although they think they have to go back.. they had to recreate the crash.. it was Locke's destiny to turn the FDW which fixed whatever dumbass Ben did.. in doing that the flashes stopped but Locke still needs to get back to the Island.. I'm sure the O6'ers have some sort of role to play in the 70's but I think the Locke thing was of much more importance.

Because Jack and Kate were destined to die on that Island (they were Adam and Eve). For whatever reason, Locke had to leave and die, Jack has to return and die. He will die with Kate. They screwed it up when they got off the island.