That Is One Scary European History Teacher

It was clear to me in the last episode that the off-island flash sideways glimpses were all different timelines. The John Locke sitting in bathtub did not just come from meeting Hurley. The John Locke in the teacher's lounge did not just come from meeting Rose. Each time we see Locke, we have followed an increasingly different parallel reality.

I predict, in the next episode, for no apparent reason, Locke will be walking and Helen will be gone. The shifts may even be happening in the same scenes. Like when Locke falls out of his fan onto the lawn. If Helen was inside, wouldn't he have shouted for her? Until he fell, she wasn't inside. He may be constantly shifting from reality to reality, with things changing every minute. But he is obviously not aware of this.

If that's what is happening off-island, that must be what's happening on-island. Sayid is magically alive again not because he was saved by the healing pool, but because everyone has shifted to a timeline where he wasn't drowned. This is why Juliet would say "it worked." At the moment of her death she became aware she was in another reality. They all are. Sawyer is at the same time burying Juliet and in an elevator with Kate. Only Juliet was aware of this for a split-second.

And Ben! A history teacher. Because his father was not recruited by the Dharma Initiative; because the island is at the bottom of the ocean. And Ethan - almost delivering Claire's baby (again). Of course, Kate will actually deliver it (again).

Could it be that in his death, Jacob was able to run scenario after scenario until he changed the variables enough to get what he wants? What is that he wants?