Fanon
(Fan created content. Distinct from hoaxes and parodies)
(Fan created content. Distinct from hoaxes and parodies)
Breakthroughs is one of many Fan Theories about the storylines in Lost.
A common theme of LOST is that, whenever a character has a breakthrough, gets over an issue they have, etc., they die soon afterwards. This theory supports the fan-created theories that the survivors are in purgatory (debunked by the producers) or that the survivors are in a sort of group therapy.
Examples
- Boone Carlyle - Got over his obsession with Shannon, thanks to his hallucination. Killed by injuries sustained from the fall of the Beechcraft.
- Shannon Rutherford - Got over her trust issues with men, thanks to her relationship with Sayid Jarrah, and got over her selfishness by taking care of Vincent. Killed by Ana-Lucia.
- Leslie Arzt - Got over his exclusion from cliques by being included in group activities and being needed. Killed by dynamite explosion.
- Ana-Lucia Cortez - Got over her murderous revenge tendencies by not being able to kill Henry Gale. Killed by Michael.
- Libby - Got over her obsession with Hurley by having a relationship with him (debatable). Shot, and killed by Michael.
- Mr. Eko - He renounced his murderous tendencies and had a breakthrough after confessing to (the false) Henry Gale. Possibly blown up in the Discharge.
- Desmond Hume - He believed that his true love, Penny Widmore, had moved on, and didn't love him. Also may have had issues with self-worth, as exhibited by his on-and-off alcoholism. Had a breakthrough when he realized that Penny still loved him, and when he activated the fail safe. Possibly killed in The Discharge.
- Dave -- explains a Breakthrough-like theory of the Island to Hurley: If you die on the island, that in itself is having a breakthough (i.e. accepting that it is all imaginary), and you will wake up and be cured in real life.
Counterexamples
- Charlie - He gave up his addiction, and remained alive. However, his temptation remained, as evidenced by his stash of Virgin Mary statues. But now he has thrown all the statues into the ocean.
- Nonsurvivors redshirts (non-featured characters) have died during the crash, its aftermath, or later on the island, without receiving any obvious breakthroughs.
- Danielle Rousseau's science team - died, supposedly of an infection and without any hint of breakthroughs.
- Though the latter two counterexamples could be countered by Dave's island breakthrough explanation of dying is a breakthrough in itself (See above).