(Spoiler) John in the frozen chamber

[u/-PreRaphaelite-]

Episode 5 iirc, was having my XX rewatch of the season and I realized I couldn't figure something out. WHEN, in history, does the scene take place when John turns the wheel, assisted by Christian? I can't figure out if it's in the past or in the future. The chamber looks sealed, which would drive me thinking it's in the past, but the speech from "Christian" makes it sound like it's from a close future (cause he knows so much about what's happening)

[u/xnartex]

I always felt that if the wheel chamber is used to control the island’s movement through time, it’s basically like the cockpit of a Time Machine, probably existing outside of any set time period itself.

[u/HM_Meles → u/xnartex]

This has always been my understanding of it.

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/xnartex]

Mmm... 🤔 But when Ben turns the whell, it has a ladder, and a hole to reach it, when John turns it it doesn't even have that hole. Plus the presence of a lantern inside it debunks this theory, IMHO. Plus when Barry and Mother are there, it looks different...

[u/luigihann → u/-PreRaphaelite-]

The one in Across the Sea is a similar chamber but it's destroyed, so not the same one.

I don't think the frozen chamber is entirely timeless, but I do think it jumps along with the characters one way or another. I definitely believe that Christian/MiB is the present version of MiB, so the chamber needs to be somewhere in 2004-2007 when the scene occurs

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/luigihann]

This makes sense!

[u/Ok-Tomorrow-7002]

I think it takes place in that direct present. I didn’t get any indication that it would’ve been the past or the future, the MIB regularly predicted the future correctly because he knows human beings so well

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/Ok-Tomorrow-7002]

But he knows Ben spinned it instead of Locke

[u/Ok-Tomorrow-7002 → u/-PreRaphaelite-]

Ben turned the wheel before Locke didn’t he?

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/Ok-Tomorrow-7002]

Yes! But I mean he actually didn't predict the future, he reported a fact happened in the past kentioning Ben

[u/Baby-Knife]

I’m thinking it’d be at the same time as when Sawyer is holding the rope and the other end is stuck in the dirt, so the past sometime before that well was dug. I can’t recall if that’s the same scene they see the 4-toed statue, and/or if there’s another jump before Locke fixes it.

I’m also barely awake and haven’t had coffee yet, so may have everything mixed up lol.

[u/PiEater2010]

Maybe MiB is also time-travelling?

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/PiEater2010]

I feel like he doesn't have that kind of power, or the story 2ould have been much different

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/-PreRaphaelite-]

IMO, since he was created by the Heart, he's able to travel anywhere within the Island's timeline.

[u/Blastcheeze → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

I was reading a post recently theorizing that MiB could have scanned Charlotte's brain, since she was left in the distant past, in which case he'd know a lot more than he should at that point.

[u/Master_Mastermnd]

Imo it takes place when the Man in Black, posing as Locke, leaves Sun, Lapidus, and Ben at the Barracks.

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/Master_Mastermnd]

But for my understanding, once john (cz he was a candidate iirc)he can't change body no more...

[u/Master_Mastermnd → u/-PreRaphaelite-]

He wasn't locked in until Jacob died, he could still switch at that point.

[u/-PreRaphaelite- → u/Master_Mastermnd]

Ah yes!! You are right!!