Yes, it's a bit of a cheesey thought, but Desmond and Penny are being set up to be the Great Love of this series. Sure, there's cute C&C and the infamous S/K/J triangle. But the Great Love is DesPenny.
Will they end up together?
If so, what does that mean in regards to "time" and "fate"?
The jewelry shop woman said that they would NOT be together. (Need the *exact* quote, because I think you can "get around" her meaning, and there is still a chance for these two lovers.)

Would Des and Pen have gotten married if he'd just asked her? Or would he have ended up at the island anyway?

And if Penny is looking for him (per the end of LTDA), then has something happened to change fate? Was the turning of the failsafe key what changed fate?

Is there hope for them???
And will their love be what eventually saves everyone on the Island? If Pen can find Des, can she help them all?

ETA: How embarrassing! Missing the word "him" in title of my thread!! Oops!

LL, I was wondering the same thing. I think (ok, really hope) that we are indeed being set up to allow love to save them. Maybe he missed his chance before, but she's the one who can actually change things? I'll have to think about this over night (and over another viewing) for sure. Either way, I think that the Desmond and Penny saga is a major part of the whole story, as well as fate and destiny, so I can't wait to see what they all have to do with each other!

Let us remember that the way he pushed Penny away in his "dream" reliving of his past NEVER HAPPENED. What apparently DID happen was he chickened out on buying the ring, then joined the army in a bid to "make something of himself." Widmore appreciated military men; if Des could have an impressive military career going for him, maybe Widmore would change his mind about him and Penny. When THAT didn't pan out (prison), he entered WIDMORE'S boat race. Not to impress Widmore--by then, it was clear Widmore would never accept him--but by winning THAT boat race, Desmond would impress HIMSELF enough to feel himself worthy of Penny.

Desmond has a heck of a self-esteem problem. Should Penny find him, will she like who she finds? Can she truly love someone who thinks so little of himself? This would make an interesting plotline in Season 4 or 5, don't you think?

STH, your points are fair, but in actuality, we don't know which version of the past did happen. Did he change the past? If it's a time loop, or he simply traveled back in time, then the version we saw tonight is what happened.
Either way: he doesn't propose and he goes and joins the army. Everything after that moment happens the same way it happened the "first time around", so to speak. So it's kind of a moot point.

If Des is destined to end up on that island and press that button, is Pen destined to find him???

So Desmond has to change his fate in order to get Penny back, and Charlie has to change his in order to survive. I think he had to go to the island, it's the only place where he can change his destiny.

I'm not sure if the answer is as simple as "love conquerers all," but that might be on the right track. If Ms. Hawking (telling that it's not Mrs.) is to be believed, then Desmond was destined to NOT ask Penny to marry him, get marooned on the Island, and then turn the failsafe key. Those steps have been followed, so what stops Desmond from marrying Penny now? Nothing, except for the fact that he's stuck on the Island. That doesn't mean Penny can't come to him though......

Desmond says, "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her." And Hawking says, "No, Desmond, you're not."
That doesn't mean he won't spend some of the rest of his life with her. That doesn't mean that Pen won't do everything in her power to get to him.
While "love" might not be what *literally* brings them back together (maybe more to do with fate and coincedence and "a lot of money" ;)), love will be their theme, and love will be the motivation.

STH, your points are fair, but in actuality, we don't know which version of the past did happen. Did he change the past? If it's a time loop, or he simply traveled back in time, then the version we saw tonight is what happened.
Either way: he doesn't propose and he goes and joins the army. Everything after that moment happens the same way it happened the "first time around", so to speak. So it's kind of a moot point.

If Des is destined to end up on that island and press that button, is Pen destined to find him???


Ms. Hawking is the key, because she is the one that "reminded" Desmond of his destiny. I think we've been led to differant conclusions about the side-effects of Desmond's actions in the hatch, but it would appear that there was a cosmic purpose to what he was doing, including the turning of the failsafe key. In the end, it's a domino effect: If Desmond didn't turn the failsafe key, he wouldn't have his "visions." If he didn't have his visions, he wouldn't have been able to save Charlie. If wouldn't have been able to save Charlie, some harm would no doubt come to Claire. If some harm comes to Claire, Aaron is negatively affected. If Aaron is negatively affected, then the psychic's words come true. If the psychic's words come true, then (IMO) there are much bigger problems for everyone. In reality, Desmond's relationship with Penny is important, but not just because of the context of their relationship. His devotion to her spurs him to keep going, which kept him in the hatch long enough for Flight 815 to pass overhead, whose presence leads to the above scenarios.

Des and Penny are wonderful; I am so in love with this couple - they are so good together. I think our Losties need to stop waiting around for fate to do what it will and start taking control of their own lives. I was so hoping that Desmond would toss aside what Ms. Hawking said and propose to Penny anyway; instead, he took the safe route and took actions where he knew what the ending would be (him eventually landing on the island). A more courageous action would have been to throw caution to the wind and propose to the woman he loves - and let fate take it's course

Ms. Hawking is the key, because she is the one that "reminded" Desmond of his destiny. I think we've been led to differant conclusions about the side-effects of Desmond's actions in the hatch, but it would appear that there was a cosmic purpose to what he was doing, including the turning of the failsafe key. In the end, it's a domino effect: If Desmond didn't turn the failsafe key, he wouldn't have his "visions." If he didn't have his visions, he wouldn't have been able to save Charlie. If wouldn't have been able to save Charlie, some harm would no doubt come to Claire. If some harm comes to Claire, Aaron is negatively affected. If Aaron is negatively affected, then the psychic's words come true. If the psychic's words come true, then (IMO) there are much bigger problems for everyone. In reality, Desmond's relationship with Penny is important, but not just because of the context of their relationship. His devotion to her spurs him to keep going, which kept him in the hatch long enough for Flight 815 to pass overhead, whose presence leads to the above scenarios.

That's brilliant. Excellent points.
See to me, the "love" theme is not AT ALL just about Des and Pen as a couple. It is about how their love can save them all. Something about their relationship is supposed to be sen as magical and powerful. And I have faith that their love will somehow tie in all the other themes of the show, all the coincdences and ideas of fate and destiny that have been showing up since the very beginning.

Des and Penny are wonderful; I am so in love with this couple - they are so good together. I think our Losties need to stop waiting around for fate to do what it will and start taking control of their own lives. I was so hoping that Desmond would toss aside what Ms. Hawking said and propose to Penny anyway; instead, he took the safe route and took actions where he knew what the ending would be (him eventually landing on the island). A more courageous action would have been to throw caution to the wind and propose to the woman he loves - and let fate take it's course
I agree about Des & Penny, Betsy... amazing couple. :) However, I don't know that him proposing to her would have been more courageous. If we are to assume he knew his destiny as told to him at that point, and the consequences of what he would do or not do... then his "courageously" proposing to Penny at that point results in the end of life as we know it. It could be much more courageous that he instead chose to sacrifice himself and his own happiness, to throw his love on the altar for the greater good.
eta: crap, why do I have to end up at the top of the page...
100%
That's brilliant. Excellent points.
See to me, the "love" theme is not AT ALL just about Des and Pen as a couple. It is about how their love can save them all. Something about their relationship is supposed to be sen as magical and powerful. And I have faith that their love will somehow tie in all the other themes of the show, all the coincdences and ideas of fate and destiny that have been showing up since the very beginning.
Exactly! It's the redemptive possibility of it all... the global implications...

That's brilliant. Excellent points.
See to me, the "love" theme is not AT ALL just about Des and Pen as a couple. It is about how their love can save them all. Something about their relationship is supposed to be sen as magical and powerful. And I have faith that their love will somehow tie in all the other themes of the show, all the coincdences and ideas of fate and destiny that have been showing up since the very beginning.

Yes I think this is where TPTB are heading with DesPenny. Perhaps Penny's love may literally save the Lostie by driving Penny to find the island, while Des's love may save the Losties who are lost in themselves..