Aging and not aging on the island...

[The_Hatch_Monkey]

I've been thinking a lot lately about Richard not aging-- and now the whole deal concerning Ethan,wondering why the age doesn't match up to the Ethan we have all known.  A couple of weeks ago I posted a thread on how young Juliet, Sawyer, Jin etc. all looked...

So, here is my newest theory---

You DO age on the island---I know some people have speculated that you don't--but I think, if not in anyone else, we KNOW Alex grew up on the island.  People have to age.

I DO NOT think you age when you are in the wrong spot in time.  For example--I do not think that any of our Losties will be aging until they are back in the year they belong in.

I think this explains why Richard does not age.  I think he is stuck at this age.  I think he has flashed around in time, and until he can find his way back to the year he belongs in--he will never age.  Like Daniel had said (in Jughead,)---when Miles asked how long they will be stuck in that time before they flash again---he tells them "Could be five minutes. Could also be 5,000 years."

I really really think I'm on the right track here---someone, please jump on my bandwagon!

[opgelost]

I don't know. Every episode I think I will get some answers, but the only thing that happens is that I get more confused.
Your idea would explain why Aaron couldn't come to the island. He would stay a three-yearsold for years.
But I think Miles is aging, his hair is getting white. It is difficult to see adults aging in 3 years.

[Creflo]

This is an interesting theory.  Rather than thinking that biological aging processes cease when displaced in time, I think it's a matter of perspective and how you define age:

- Growth
Sawyer's hair and beard will grow each day in 1977
- Memory
Every day that '77 Sawyer lives is another day of memories
- Clocks
There are 24 hours in a 1977 day for Sawyer
- Biological aging/breakdown of cells
He may never become gray and decrepit, but that would be seen as Island healing

The only thing left which would define aging would be birthdays, and obviously those don't factor in if they're birthdays during a year which you've already celebrated!  And we've seen folks (Juliet, Maelstrom, Locke, et al) who appeared in a year before their own birth.

For the record, I don't think Richard has lived beyond a normal human lifespan keeping the same young face.  I think he's just traveled to many different time periods during a period of time which TO HIM was relatively short.

[grizn0]

This is an interesting theory.  Rather than thinking that biological aging processes cease when displaced in time, I think it's a matter of perspective and how you define age:

- Growth
Sawyer's hair and beard will grow each day in 1977
- Memory
Every day that '77 Sawyer lives is another day of memories
- Clocks
There are 24 hours in a 1977 day for Sawyer
- Biological aging/breakdown of cells
He may never become gray and decrepit, but that would be seen as Island healing

The only thing left which would define aging would be birthdays, and obviously those don't factor in if they're birthdays during a year which you've already celebrated!  And we've seen folks (Juliet, Maelstrom, Locke, et al) who appeared in a year before their own birth.

For the record, I don't think Richard has lived beyond a normal human lifespan keeping the same young face.  I think he's just traveled to many different time periods during a period of time which TO HIM was relatively short.

Or he could be from the distant future... like the year 2080 (might be a stretch) or something. He won't age until he gets back there.

[lostfromthestart]

Or he's from ancient Egypt (goes along with the statue and hieroglyphics) and won't age until he returns back in time.

[grizn0]

Or he's from ancient Egypt (goes along with the statue and hieroglyphics) and won't age until he returns back in time.

And guyliner...

[westy]

There is no guyliner - that's been debunked.

As for why Richard appears to be ageless...

Juliet stated that he was always on the island and was old. Ben chided him with the "remember birthdays" comment. I don't think his flipping through time in a relatively short time (for him), thereby appearing ageless is the reason he appears ageless, though I do respect the theory. I believe he is truly ageless. And though I greatly respect you, Hatch-Monkey, I don't think you're correct here, either.

I've always felt that even to the Others, Richard is an Other Other, and mysterious even to them. He belongs to an ancient group of people or extraterrestrials of which his role is something akin to servant, priest, keeper of the law, etc. Most of the Others are not the same as Richard; they are people recruited over the years and live normal life spans. Isabel may be the same as Richard, as might Eloise Hawkings or even Jacob (though he might be an Other Other Other [LOL]).

Richard knows more about the island’s mysteries than Ben or Widmore, or just about anyone else we’ve seen on the show, but he is not top dog. He was clearly subservient to Ben, but I don’t think Ben was completely at ease ordering Richard around, very much like a king to high-priest relationship.

But who cares if I’m right, or you're right, or if we’re all wrong. This question of Richard is one of the most interesting of “Lost” and I hope the answer will blow our minds…

[grizn0]

There is no guyliner - that's been debunked.

Just a joke.

[patrixmith]

I've been thinking a lot lately about Richard not aging-- and now the whole deal concerning Ethan,wondering why the age doesn't match up to the Ethan we have all known.  A couple of weeks ago I posted a thread on how young Juliet, Sawyer, Jin etc. all looked...

So, here is my newest theory---

You DO age on the island---I know some people have speculated that you don't--but I think, if not in anyone else, we KNOW Alex grew up on the island.  People have to age.

I DO NOT think you age when you are in the wrong spot in time.  For example--I do not think that any of our Losties will be aging until they are back in the year they belong in.

I think this explains why Richard does not age.  I think he is stuck at this age.  I think he has flashed around in time, and until he can find his way back to the year he belongs in--he will never age.  Like Daniel had said (in Jughead,)---when Miles asked how long they will be stuck in that time before they flash again---he tells them "Could be five minutes. Could also be 5,000 years."

I really really think I'm on the right track here---someone, please jump on my bandwagon!

Great thought Hatch Monkey! I really like it... We shall see what happens...

[JBRam]

Hatch Monkey, as much as I would love to jump your... I mean jump on your bandwagon, I'm not sure I can right now. I'm thinking that Alpert is special, which is the only reason he doesn't age. I think everyone else is going to age. Sorry.

[Ladybug]

i actually kind of like the idea.  good thoughts!

[LostinLock]

Hatch Monkey - you put some great thought into this

We have one known character who has not "aged" Richard.  He is the island Dick Clark but one who does not celebrate birthdays, has been around for a long time according to Juliette and though I am not thrilled with this next reference, but he could be a Dorian Grey/Moses character, not aging in our faces, but somewhere a picture of him ages, while he never gets to be more than the person whom brings the people to the temple but can never enter.


The other quality in Richard is that he is comfortable with his position, whatever that is, and he knows the rules as we saw when he came to speak to Horace.  A man of great knowledge and wisdom as Sawyer was able to negotiate with him. 

People will age on the island, we know Ethan grew up, Ben grew up, Roger Linus aged, Danielle aged, though it may retard for a bit, the only person we have seen who has not appeared to age is Richard.

I am reluctant to take the aging process on one character, because I also agree Richard is special.  He is as unique as Desmond is to the time travel experience there.
I also wondered myself if and when the time comes, for whatever is meant to be will Richard then age in front of us and move on to his position in the island?

[Bostonlost]

I agree with this and have always thought that one of the things about the Island is that "Time" as we know it does not apply to the Island.

[Lost In NH]

I've been thinking a lot lately about Richard not aging-- and now the whole deal concerning Ethan,wondering why the age doesn't match up to the Ethan we have all known.  A couple of weeks ago I posted a thread on how young Juliet, Sawyer, Jin etc. all looked...

So, here is my newest theory---

You DO age on the island---I know some people have speculated that you don't--but I think, if not in anyone else, we KNOW Alex grew up on the island.  People have to age.

I DO NOT think you age when you are in the wrong spot in time.  For example--I do not think that any of our Losties will be aging until they are back in the year they belong in.

I think this explains why Richard does not age.  I think he is stuck at this age.  I think he has flashed around in time, and until he can find his way back to the year he belongs in--he will never age.  Like Daniel had said (in Jughead,)---when Miles asked how long they will be stuck in that time before they flash again---he tells them "Could be five minutes. Could also be 5,000 years."

I really really think I'm on the right track here---someone, please jump on my bandwagon!

Hatcher... great minds think alike...  see my first ever post about aging (specifically Richard)

http://lost.cubit.net/forum/index.php?topic=8736.0

[The_Hatch_Monkey]

I've been thinking a lot lately about Richard not aging-- and now the whole deal concerning Ethan,wondering why the age doesn't match up to the Ethan we have all known.  A couple of weeks ago I posted a thread on how young Juliet, Sawyer, Jin etc. all looked...

So, here is my newest theory---

You DO age on the island---I know some people have speculated that you don't--but I think, if not in anyone else, we KNOW Alex grew up on the island.  People have to age.

I DO NOT think you age when you are in the wrong spot in time.  For example--I do not think that any of our Losties will be aging until they are back in the year they belong in.

I think this explains why Richard does not age.  I think he is stuck at this age.  I think he has flashed around in time, and until he can find his way back to the year he belongs in--he will never age.  Like Daniel had said (in Jughead,)---when Miles asked how long they will be stuck in that time before they flash again---he tells them "Could be five minutes. Could also be 5,000 years."

I really really think I'm on the right track here---someone, please jump on my bandwagon!

Hatcher... great minds think alike...  see my first ever post about aging (specifically Richard)

http://lost.cubit.net/forum/index.php?topic=8736.0

We must be geniuses!