What Purpose Do these AU Arcs Have?

[darkphoenix21]

I wish that they'd stop with these AU story arcs and just focus on the real reality. The AU arcs don't have much purpose, but to parallel the true reality of events. I mean the flashbacks told us their back stories and how they all came to be in the doomed Oceanic flight. The flashforwards showed us what happened to the Oceanic 6. Now these AU show us the "what if" life went as normal, but doesn't really have any relevance to what's happening on the Island in the true reality. The only thing I can think of is these realities will some how collide in some sort paradox by series end.

[superhippie2000]

i think they do play a purpose we just have to wait to find out. or atleast think they may collide and the actual stuff we are watching doesnt play a role just the fact that eventually both worlds come together.

[WhoRU?]

There is a purpose, there would two sides of the story to complete how everything need to go as they are and why the Island had to exist or rather why Jacob has to do what he has to do.

[Tabularasa]

Well the Ben flash sideways gave us a pretty big hint that there could've been an island evacuation because of Jughead. This is something we're gonna have to wait until the series finale when the writers connect it. Same thing with season 4. They kept "hinting" that there was a reason why they were lying about the island and we didn't find out why until the season 4 finale.