Drealmcc0y said:
Actually the answer to the numbers is pretty great.
Of course: it's
genius, as usual, right?
A man named Valanzetti...
Hold on. First, some context.
In the first season, we have this "Numbers" episode that tells us there are cursed numbers out there.
In July 2005,
Lindelof claims that they didn't pick the numbers arbitrarily, but can't explain how they chose them because "that would give up a big chunk of mythology that [they] are not ready to reveal yet".
(
or maybe the way they picked them was actually rather mundane and had nothing to do with "the mythology", but hey, never forget:
Fury is a filthy traitor! don't believe a word he says! not even when it makes a lot more sense than all the bullshit that comes from Lindelof and Cuse)
Now, how do you explain stuff like that in a satisfactory manner?
...
Yeah.
A few months later, in November 2005, it looks like Lindelof either finally realized that or decided that the teasing had gone for long enough and could actually hurt the show from then on, so:
Well, yeah: it seemed pretty hopeless to expect an answer for that one, indeed. But then again, you
did pretend there was one for a while, didn't, you, Damon? Oh, the shit you'd say to try and hook your audience!
Okay, so you didn't quite admit to that dishonest contradiction of yours, but
at least, you finally went and said it was a dead-end (as should have been obvious from the beginning, but hey), and that will relieve the show of that one particularly silly elem...
Oh, come the fuck on.
And all in the same interview, too? What the... Is the guy really
that clueless? Or does he think
his viewers are, which is why he doesn't mind piling up the contradictions ("you think the numbers are silly? good news: I realize that and I agree, they're a dead-end! you think the mystery of the numbers is cool? good news: we'll keep that one going!")?
Anyway, in a
shocking turn of events, viewers who trusted against all reason those two clowns when they were claiming they would eventually reveal why they picked those numbers and how that ties in with the mythology of the show
do notice that bit where Lindelof said "I think that that question will never, ever, be answered" and are kinda pissed off about it.
Naturally, since Lindelof and Cuse are
a lot more interested in keeping their audience than in being honest or coherent, they start backpedalling accordingly:
Lindelof: "Answering a question of what the numbers mean, and here's the quote, 'That question will never ever be answered. I couldn't possibly imagine how we could answer that question. We will see more ramifications of the numbers and more usage of the numbers.'" And pawn5 goes on to write, "There we have it folks. The numbers will never be explained, so what's the point now?"
Cuse: Why would you say that Damon? Why would you give such an incendiary quote? I mean, my god!
Lindelof: I can't imagine ever having said these things...
Cuse: What were you thinking?
Lindelof: I must have been drunk.
Cuse: Oh my god, exactly, you and Bode Miller were out-
Lindelof: Yeah.
Cuse: ...drinking together and-
Lindelof: Shooting guns.
Cuse: ...skiing. Um, okay, the th- I think what you meant was...
Lindelof: What did I mean?
Cuse: I think what you meant, Damon, was that it's sort of an impossible question on one level to answer. I mean, some of the mysteries of this show are sort of like religious mysteries, like how would you explain, you know, the notion of God? I mean, you can take a stab at an answer, you can- but there may be a thousand different ways to answer that question, and I think that- that there's certain- there's a certain mystical quality to the numbers that may not ever be explained. It doesn't mean that we don't understand their role, their significance, their importance, but, you know, that- there- in certain parts of the storytelling of the show are embedded in mysteries that are just inherently unexplainable, and different characters will have different interpretations of what those ultimate mysteries mean, so in that sense, I think that- that's probably what you meant.
Lindelof: That sounds exactly what I meant. So thank you for clarifying that.
Cuse: Oh, no problems.
See? It's quite simple: when you get in trouble for introducing a mystery you can't solve (despite your earlier claims that there
is an answer and you're keeping it for later, "it will be
so awesome, you guys!"), just go
spiritual and shit, man. Claim it's, like, similar to the Great Mysteries of Life. Even God. Dude.
God. How
awesome does that sound? I know, right? And
we're writing the shit of this thing. Man, isn't our show the greatest
evah?
It's all in the spin.
(sadly, that kind of shit
does work, and it apparently did, there... for shame)
Yeah, well, you don't get to complain about the mess you put yourself into with your bullshit, Damon...
A few months later, in May 2006, an
ARG called "
the Lost Experience" begins, and is apparently tasked with providing an explanation for the numbers, so viewers will stop bothering the writers with that shit.
And that's how we got that "Valenzetti equation" business you're referring to, Drealmcc0y.
[... as well as a bunch of other stuff the show went on to ignore/contradict, so
only some parts are deemed canonical in the end... yeah, it's a mess, but you should be used to it, by now, really]
Back to you:
A man named Valanzetti creates an equation that predicts the end of the world
Yes, you can do that.
and the conclusion he comes too is 4 8 15 16 23 and 42.
Because equations are strings of numbers.
Alvar Hanso hears about this equation and creates the Dharma Initative to "save the world". The intent is change the core value of these numbers in the hope that the world would be saved.
That makes sense,
shut up.
Thats the simple, short version.
And here's Lindelof's own summary:
(I have to assume Lindelof meant "within the next 27 years"
from his own perspective at the time of the article, 'cause 1962 + 27 = 1989)
Okay, so that's really silly, but it's not like there was a way to come up with a non-silly answer anyway, so there you go. At least, it provides
some kind of explanation as to why the numbers were broadcasted from the island, why they were on that hatch door, why you had to type them on the Swan computer, why they allowed Hurley to win the lottery but then cursed him, why they were the numbers of the remaining candidates after Jacob crossed Kate's name but before Locke kicked the bucket...
...
Oh, wait. No, it really doesn't. That's how silly that "mystery" was to begin with.
I mean, that sure is a whole lot of 'splainin' just to end up on:
"Well, the numbers are just recurring like hell. That's all there is to it. Because they're... er... "core factors" (just roll with it) of some godly equation. Or maybe it's the other way around. Doesn't make any difference anyway, at this point, right?"
(and yeah, mankind somehow failed to notice those six oddly recurring numbers for millennia... and sure, the people at DHARMA used them all the time for all kind of things just
because... also, Hurley something something good/bad luck something)
As Drealmcc0y would put it: "pretty great!"
Otherwise: "well, that sure was some stupid, pointless, misguided shit."
Jack changes his core value from man of science to man of faith
Ah, yes: the "man of science / man of faith" thingy. We might as well tie all the stupid, pointless, misguided shit together, indeed.
Ventilaator said:
I liked Lost. The biggest thing about Lost I liked was how every single person who watched it, did it for the mystery hoping for answers and when the finale shit on all of that a good 50% of people spun around and said "But it was about the peeeeeeeople all along"
Go tell that to the past-you still in the middle of season 3 and he will punch you in the face and say "NO, THEY WILL EXPLAIN THIS. I KNOW THEY WILL. GTFO BLASPHEMIST."
Exactly. You can also confirm that by taking a look at years-old topics on internet forums.
"It was about the characters all along" was some hilariously transparent damage control. All spin, all the time.
I also love it when they go and argue "well, the questions are always better than the answers,
obviously! it's only
natural you'd be disappointed! that has nothing to do with our show being poorly written or anything like that!"
Drealmcc0y said:
What's funny though is that people say the writer's copped out and said it was all about the characters but season 6 is probably the most heavy on mythology except perhaps season 5.
What's funny is that you're apparently completely oblivious to the difference between actual, valid answers and bullshit, cop out non-answers like the ones that littered season 6.