I don't know if saving Charley changed the out come of who came out of the helicopter or not.
I do believe Desmond thinks saving him changed the out come.

I have to wonder if Desmonds next vision shows him something he wants again and saving Charley could change that maybe he won't.

I don't think Desmond will sacrifice Charlie for something he wants. He was tempted to in this episode and overcame his temptation.

Desmond overcame the temptation to kill Charlie to see Penny, he still might choose to let him die if the outcome were for the greater good (getting everyone off the island)... If that's the case, he might even tell Charlie and Charlie might decide himself that his death is nessessary. If any of this happens though...

It will be in episode 21 (right before the finale)... that's rumored to be a Charlie flashback episode.

Keep in mind though that there are two conflicting rumors, which make the outcome ambivalent.

Rumor 1 claims that Charlie will die in his upcoming flashback episode, rumor 2 claims that it's a red herring and Charlie will live while another main character will die.

So it could really go either way.

Want to hear my very own non-spoiler-based theory? Desmond is MEANT to save Charlie. Charlie will have a very important task to fulfil in the near future, something which only Charlie can do. He may or may not survive this, but regardless of Charlie's fate, just as long as he does fulfil his task, Desmond might ultimately get rewarded by finally being reunited with Penny.

Want to hear my very own non-spoiler-based theory? Desmond is MEANT to save Charlie. Charlie will have a very important task to fulfil in the near future, something which only Charlie can do. He may or may not survive this, but regardless of Charlie's fate, just as long as he does fulfil his task, Desmond might ultimately get rewarded by finally being reuinited with Penny.

Yeah, I think this might be the case too. Desmond could be like the Terminator protecting John Connor so that he can fulfil his destiny. The universe (like the liquid metal man) is trying to kill Charlie before gets the chance to fulfil his destiny.

he still might choose to let him die if the outcome were for the greater good (getting everyone off the island)... he might even tell Charlie and Charlie might decide himself that his death is nessessary.
That sounds just like the movie Stranger Than Fiction with Will Ferrell!

Hmmm ...... that could lead to a whole other theory involving an interactive relationship between the Lostie characters and the writers. Sounds just like something TPTB would do! :cool:

I have to wonder if Desmonds next vision shows him something he wants again and saving Charley could change that maybe he won't.Well I hope so! At least then the Saving Charlie plotline would go somewhere...