Why exactly didn't Michael get to be apart of X timeline?

[RM]

(Of course, I don't expect an answer, but ...)

Is there a plot-driven reason that Michael wasn't a part of X or at the church?

I can't think of one.  All I can come up with is that the kid who played Walt was "too big" to film any scenes that would be believable as 2004.  That's a copout, though.  They could easily have filmed Michael and referenced Walt off-screen.

All I'm left with is:
1) something personal between TPTB and the actor himself
2) bias from TPTB that somehow rated Michael's character as "minor" -- (complete B.S; Artz, Ana Lucia, Charlotte get shoutouts but Michael doesn't?)

[Even Jimmy Kimmel made reference to why Michael wasn't around and Harold Perrineaux gave some cryptic shrug and smile.]

[The_Hatch_Monkey]

I wondered the same thing.

[Kane]

It was spelled out pretty well why. His soul is stuck on the island because of what he did. His own personal hell. Remember he told Hugo he could not leave?

[MachThree]

It was spelled out pretty well why. His soul is stuck on the island because of what he did. His own personal hell. Remember he told Hugo he could not leave?

Exactly - the Alt was people who were able to move on and eventually learned to let go while they were there.

[lostlady]

Yes, that is why I beleive Michael wasn't there. Also, that is why Ana Lucia is "not ready" yet. She is still a whisper like Michael on the island. Walt would have no reason to be there since he was a kid then and had no overwhelming emotional ties to anyone so didn't reconnect like they all did.

[bfth]

Michael will forever be a whisper on the island.

Walt should have been there, but you know why he wasn't.  Darn that kid for growing up and messing up the story line! 

[jamesl]

I really like all the answers on this thread

[*MaZ*]

I'm just grateful he didn't spoil my finale by showing up....

[Maxor127]

I forgive Michael for being annoying in season 2 since he explained the whispers.

[anavrin]

It was spelled out pretty well why. His soul is stuck on the island because of what he did. His own personal hell. Remember he told Hugo he could not leave?

But lots of people on the island did bad things there and still showed up in the Flash Sideways.  Most notably, Keamy.  (Although he was a very bad guy there, too, and got killed -- even though he was already dead?)  Ethan was there.  The Japanese guy from the temple.  Of our Losties, Sayid, Kate, Locke, Jin, and Sawyer all did very bad things, many of them on the island.  Ben, too.  Rousseau.

[I_Am_Jacob]

Yeah I think Walt COULD have shown up, because we could have seen him the way he was when he died older. I think though that Walt would probably be in a place where he would meet up with his mother or Michael and move on with them.

[lostfan777]

Yeah I think Walt COULD have shown up, because we could have seen him the way he was when he died older. I think though that Walt would probably be in a place where he would meet up with his mother or Michael and move on with them.

I agree.  The church was a meeting place for this particular group of people who meant so much to each other.  Other people will move on in their own way and with those that they are close to.  Some will probably not be moving on to such a bright place either!  I think even the people at the church may have moved on in their own time separately but Desmond was the one who decided, against Eloise's wishes, that they were ready NOW.  He brought them together so that they could move on together.

[I_Am_Jacob]

Yeah I think Walt COULD have shown up, because we could have seen him the way he was when he died older. I think though that Walt would probably be in a place where he would meet up with his mother or Michael and move on with them.

I agree.  The church was a meeting place for this particular group of people who meant so much to each other.  Other people will move on in their own way and with those that they are close to.  Some will probably not be moving on to such a bright place either!  I think even the people at the church may have moved on in their own time separately but Desmond was the one who decided, against Eloise's wishes, that they were ready NOW.  He brought them together so that they could move on together.

This

[Desmond8MyPopRocks]

Michael really was stuck in a purgatory--he was doomed to roam the island whispering in the jungle as a lost soul who could not pass on.  At least that's what he said on Kimmel last night.

cheers
*Des8

[RM]

But why was Michael doomed in a way different than anybody else?

He came back and sacrificed himself on the freighter so Jin would have enough time to get off -- and Christian even said to him that the Island was done with him and seemed to release him.

I don't see anything different in his case.  TPTB made his character be the executioner of a couple of actors who got DUIs and everybody hates him for it, where Ben did all kinds of things but everybody loves to hate him.  Locke killed Naomi and remained sympathetic.

I just don't see why Michael is different (or, unfortunately, maybe I do.)