John K.’s Theory: Why Ms. Hawking is Faraday’s Mom
OK, now that everyone has seen these brilliant episodes, it’s time to deconstruct them. As soon as I finished watching these episodes the first time back at the end of December (I’ve since rewatched each about 10 times), I suspected the mother Daniel Faraday told Desmond to seek was Ms. Hawking.
Annd with every viewing, that feeling gets stronger and stronger. Let’s examine the evidence.
1-Faraday’s mom is from Oxford. Ms. Hawking has a British accent.
2-Faraday time jumps before he’s able to tell Desmond his mother’s name. Since saying her name wouldn’t be valuable unless it was something other than Faraday, I assume it is.
3-Charlotte mentioned that she couldn’t remember her mother’s maiden name. While this could be random, I assume it was a very subtle clue by the writers telling us that Faraday’s mother uses her maiden name, which is Hawking.
4-Faraday says his mom is the only one who can help, so presumably she must be skilled in the theories of time travel. Based on what we’ve seen, there’s no one more knowledgeable in the field than Ms., Hawking.
5-Why else would the show bring back an incredibly minor character like Ms. Hawking in the final scene of the premiere unless she was going to play a major role in the season? Similarly, since Faraday appeared in the very first scene, it’s not too crazy to state he will also play a major role in this season. It would make sense that the two are connected.
So have I convinced you, or does anyone out there have an alternate theory about Daniel Faraday’s mother? And di I miss any pieces of evidence? Let me know what you think about this theory.
I’ll be back throughout the week with more ideas about the episodes, including why I think the Oceanic 6 really need to go back to the Island and who is the mystery client trying to see if Kate and Aaron are related.
I just had this same epiphany just minutes before reading this. I was sitting, thinking about tonight’s show when, like lightning hitting my brain, it just occurred to me that Mrs Hawkings must be Faraday’s mother. I just makes so much sense.
Comment by Justin — January 21, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
I concur completely with your theory; coming to it myself as well. I’m also sure they have named “Ms. Hawking” after Stephen Hawking.
Comment by MB — January 21, 2009 @ 11:23 pm
so this could mean that Desmond telling her ‘everything’ sparks the chain of events in her life which leads her to the point where she’s in a church basement in LA helping Ben 3yrs later.
Comment by MikeyV — January 22, 2009 @ 2:40 am
I’m doubting this. If Ms. Hawking was Faraday’s mom, then why did he spend his entire adult life studying something she could have easily explained herself?
Comment by Kara — January 22, 2009 @ 4:11 am
“so this could mean that Desmond telling her ‘everything’ sparks the chain of events in her life which leads her to the point where she’s in a church basement in LA helping Ben 3yrs later.”
But didn’t Desmond wake up from his “memory/dream” three years after he left the island? Penny tells him that it’s been three years.
Comment by MrNew — January 22, 2009 @ 5:17 am
I was totally tweeting during the show that Ms. Hawking was Daniel’s mom.
Spot on.
Comment by shelli — January 22, 2009 @ 5:50 am
I agree completely. For a while I was also thinking that Farraday was Charlotte’s father too - perhaps their siblings though. Hawking was showing Ben a certain window of opportunity available for them to make it back to the Island.
I think its important to point out that Desmond’s mind was in Present time (3 years after the 815 crash) when he talked to Faraday at the Hatch Station; which is why he didn’t remember meeting Faraday before. And also why Faraday has Desmond listed as his Constant in his notebook.
Comment by THinIL — January 22, 2009 @ 5:51 am
I don’t think she is Faraday’s mom — how would Ben get to Oxford so fast?
Comment by QuantumSam — January 22, 2009 @ 7:13 am
I thought we, as viewers, were supposed to believe that Mrs. Hawking is Daniel’s mother. I mean, I thought it was very obvious.
…unless it’s a red herring. Now, that would be a theory.
Comment by Mel — January 22, 2009 @ 7:29 am
i thought it was her when dan first yelled “her name is…” , but once Ben meets with her at the end my mind was changed, how DID he get to Oxford so fast, unless she moves to the states and Daniel doesnt know and Des will find out when he goes to find her at Oxford and thats how he reconnects with the O6.
Comment by steve c — January 22, 2009 @ 7:38 am
What was with the cult/other culture overtones to Ms. Hawking’s room where she met Ben. Not to mention here outfit which looked almost alien-like.
Ben seems to be bouncing around alot. Maybe he is smokey….
Comment by Susan — January 22, 2009 @ 7:52 am
MAYBE there are 2 Ben’s. Ben’s hair color is now black. Maybe something with the wheel created a “second” Ben, like the 2 bunnies existing at the same time in the Orchid video. Would also kind of tie in the Bad Twin novel.
Comment by Scott — January 22, 2009 @ 8:53 am
You are thinking about this the wrong way. It is two different time frames. Dan and Des are on the island before the 815 crashes. Ben and Hakings are talking 3 years later. So how she got from Oxford to LA may be insignificant. All logic for time and space has now been distorted. What a ride
Comment by NJ — January 22, 2009 @ 9:09 am
Kara makes a good point though.
Comment by LostInTranslation — January 22, 2009 @ 9:21 am
Was her name ever officially given as “Mrs. Hawking?” I thought that was just a name that the fans gave her as a reference to Stephen Hawking. I know the producers have used this name when talking about the character, but I think it was only so they didn’t have to keep saying, “the lady Desmond met in “Flashes Before Your Eyes.’” As far as I can remember, the name “Mrs. Hawking” never actually appeared in the show. That is to say, no one has ever said it. Personally, I don’t think this is her actual name.
Comment by xharper — January 22, 2009 @ 10:01 am
I think that mrs. hawking is definately daniels mom. She is trying to get everyone back to the island because if she doesnt then everyone will die becasue they dont have their “constants”. The oceanic six are the constants for everyone else on the island.
Comment by JG — January 22, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Just wanted to clear up a few points that seem confused in this string.
First off, when Daniel contacts Desmond via the Swan’s backdoor, they’ve already met once. Think back to “The Constant,” when Desmond’s consciousness from 1996 travels forward to 2004. He meets Daniel by phone in 2004, and meets him at Oxford in 1996. Hence him asking outside the Swan, “Do I know you?” Bear in mind he didn’t recognize Jack from their encounter at the stadium right away either. The next time Daniel and Desmond meet face-to-face, Daniel is ferrying people to the freighter. There’s a moment of recognition on Desmond’s face. Desmond remembers the encounter outside the Swan three years after leaving the Island, at roughly the same time Ben and Ms. Hawking are in LA.
Second, when Desmond meets Ms. Hawking in “Flashes Before Your Eyes,” she doesn’t seem to be particularly attached to the timeline. She knows how events are SUPPOSED to transpire, and attempts to course-correct Desmond’s changes. She seems omniscient, or abnormally powerful, much like the other people we’ve seen associated with the Island. She may be of the same school of thought as Daniel, believing that changing the past is impossible, but that doesn’t mean she’s Daniel’s mother. That’s like putting two and two together and getting 22.
Best bet is the red herring theory. We’re meant to read between the lines and see Ms. Hawking as Daniel’s mother when really a much bigger reveal is in store. This show is famous for red herrings, as that’s the easiest way to distract fans from the real and surprising truth.
Comment by NCarraway — January 22, 2009 @ 10:44 am
completely agree with this theory about Mrs. Hawking. great work
Does anybody else think the baby in the crib at the very beginning might be Miles?
Comment by Stinky — January 22, 2009 @ 11:06 am
I just noticed something interesting about the photo of Ms. Hawking and the monk…
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/lostpedia/images/thumb/7/7f/Camhawk.jpg/300px-Camhawk.jpg
Everyone agrees how odd it is that the monk would have a photo of he and Ms. Hawking on his desk, and it has been discussed before that the photo is badly composited- though that could just be bad production work on the part of the LOST staff- however today I noticed another intriguing bit to the photo. THE BACKGROUND. A lot of LOST scenes that are supposed to be different parts of the world are actually filmed in Hawaii. Obviously this is for convenience but could there be more to it? The background in the photo is definitely Oxford(or supposed to be- the Oxford scenes were actually shot at a church in Hawaii), the same building can be seen when Desmond goes to find Faraday at Oxford. Also, the same church was used for a lot of other scenes throughout LOST history - including the monastery… So was the photo of the monk and Ms. Hawking taken at “Oxford” or the “monastery”?
http://www.lostvirtualtour.com/lost/filming_locations/standrews/266_thumb.jpg
Now perhaps this does not matter, it is just a production/convenience issue- but maybe it is more evidence that Ms. Hawking is Faraday’s mom…
Comment by Lulu815 — January 22, 2009 @ 11:15 am
Stinky, your comment just created a big question for me!
The Dr. Chang had a baby in a crib in the opening scene. Does that mean that Dharma folks could have babies on the island.
(Excuse this comment if this was already known.)
Comment by Aaron — January 22, 2009 @ 11:32 am
Aaron,
unfortunately i didn’t even think that far ahead…good point though. how the hell did that kid come about on an island?
Comment by Stinky McGee — January 22, 2009 @ 11:53 am
The Baby: Wasn’t Ben supposedly born on the island????
Comment by David — January 22, 2009 @ 1:24 pm
No David that was one of those red herrings. Ben was born in the middle of the forest which made us the viewers think that it was on the island. however, ben’s dad runs out to a road outside of portland revealing that they werent on the island
Comment by Locke Ness Monster — January 22, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
also about the picture, could it be a reminder or clue for the monk to remember mrs. hawking in case she had to time travel? or oxford or the monastary as an important location where she would be or they would meet? just throwing it out there.
Comment by brian — January 22, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
also does anyone have any conclusions what the “event window determined” screen may mean? does it map every “event window”? if that is the case, theoretically the screen we saw showed the locations of the events that lead to all of the characters of lost actually being able to find/arrive on the island. maybe she has been documenting the events for a long time.
Comment by brian — January 22, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
I think the “event window” is when the island will flash into the time period where Ben and Hawkings currently are. After the window is up, it will move on again. So it literally is the window they have for getting everyone in the right place at the right time.
Comment by bill28 — January 23, 2009 @ 4:20 am
John’s got it dead on when he says Hawking is Farady’s mom - it all fits.
Two quick questions for the group:
First- in last season’s finale’, Locke asks Ben in the bottom of The Orchid if this is where “the magic box is.” Ben snidely replies, “No, John - it’s not.” Do you think the whole box story was used by Ben as a metaphor or does it really exist?
Second - When the (main) island disappeared, the losties in the helicopter didn’t see the adjacent island (where some of them had been held captive) either. Did it move as well?
Comment by Mike — January 23, 2009 @ 9:00 am
i’m confused… Because Desmond’s “dream” or “memory” of Faraday telling him to go to Oxford was in the present time. Ben was in the basement of somewhere at the end of episode 2 with Ms. Hawking… at the present time. (Same time frame) And it’s irrational to assume, I think, that Ms. Hawking and Ben are at Oxford when they’re in the basement. As Ben was JUST in L.A. with Hurley.
It’s possible that she’s his mom, but at the same time… how is that exactly feasible when she’s with Ben… and at the same time Desmond says he needs to go to Oxford to see Faraday’s mom.
But… I guess with “time travel” anything is possible, right?
Comment by thedtrain — January 23, 2009 @ 10:27 am