Another theory on mirror image

leaper

Project QL Intern
May 13, 2006
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i was thinking another theory of where sam might ended up after he lept for the last time ,when he changed als marriage.My guess is that sams body returned to QL project, The waiting room, and his soul leaped in to another person in time to change once again that persons destiny for good of course.so the trip back in time continued again normally , and didnt stop, with the only difference that al was now married, so he wouldnt hasle sam all the time about his 4rth or 6th wife:lol .This has been discussed gillion of times here, but i wanted to write this another idea for that mysterious ending of MIRROR IMAGE:p
 
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So basically you are saying that the leaping changed from his body to to soul? We don't even know which one it was in the first place although there is more evidence to support it being his body than there is for it being his soul. Personally I like the idea of it being his body better. Intresting theory though, but why would his mode of leaping all of a sudden change?
 
Well, either way, something did change. Sam leapt as himself in the final scene (not to mention the entire episode), so whether it's his body or soul (which I believe it's his body), the ground rules of leaping were tossed out the window.
 
Yeah Chris, that makes me think, is he leaping around doing the same thing but as himself now perhaps? I know it can't really work well that way but it seems to make at least a little sense if you think about, cuz whatever changed still has to cause the project to have lost contact with him, unless where ever he went next they did find him? Its hard because we dont know where he went after Beth's.
 
god was the one who leaped sam back and forward in time so what do you think??that after sam leaped for the last time he vanished from the universe and lost in an alternate reality???I DONT THINK SO.....if that happened then GOD did a bad thing to sam or this angel if you dont beleive that al was god .All iam saying is that god can do whatever he likes.so al send sam to beth as sam and then when sam lept he leapt sams soul to another man and send his body back to the waiting room .something like a small change for the first time
 
Ok cool yout jets, no one ever said that he vanished into thin air. You did something simular in Grimlock's best ep thread about people's commenting on Abigale's appearence. It seems to me you put words in people's mouths sometimes and it's kind of rude. Maybe I am wrong and sorry if I am, but that's what it looks like to me.

I personally was only suggesting that he was leaping around as himself now, or that he went back to the normal leaping, it makes sense if you remember Al giving Sam the preist talk:
"Are you saying the leaps are going to get tougher?"
which could mean eaither that its regular leaping just harder or that hes leaping around as himself now which definietly makes it tougher.
 
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The premise has always been 'within his own lifetime' and previously they have always dealt with the past (from our perspective) whats to say he hasn't gone Forward in time - to 'our' future, where he is still alive (obviously) and with no back up/help from Al possible. the leaps would get more difficult as a matter of course.
Although by now a significant amount of time has elapsed, so the project would be able to 'catch up' to him. Either himself or with the Bold leap forward idea :)
 
Given the fact that Sam is now leaping as himself, it makes it that much harder for the Project to keep track of him. There is no longer any leapee in the Waiting Room to help Ziggy pinpoint Sam's brainwaves in the past. Therefore, the Project would have no idea where to even begin looking for Sam (past, present, or future). It's a miracle they even found Sam at all in "Mirror Image," but fortunately Al was right about it being Sam's birthday.
 
Yeah Chris that's what I was saying, although we don't no forsure that he contiuned leaping as himself after he left Beth's so he could have resumed Normal leaping.

Mr. Qestionmark said:
The premise has always been 'within his own lifetime' and previously they have always dealt with the past (from our perspective) whats to say he hasn't gone Forward in time - to 'our' future, where he is still alive (obviously) and with no back up/help from Al possible. the leaps would get more difficult as a matter of course.
Although by now a significant amount of time has elapsed, so the project would be able to 'catch up' to him. Either himself or with the Bold leap forward idea :)

One of the alternate endings actually does suggest this as they have Al go out after him as another leaper and he speaks to the bartender first as well.
 
Since the final title read (and I really hate to put further emphasis on this beaten-to-death topic/line), "Dr. Sam Becket Never Returned Home," call me a pessimist, but to me it suggests more that Al and the Project never made contact with Sam again. And if we're going to believe that, then it would be more likely that Sam never indeed went back to leaping "into" people. Now, the line technically says that he never returned home, NOT never made contact with Project Quantum Leap again.

However, I think the whole point of leaping into the bar was to prepare Sam for his "difficult new assignment" ahead. Perhaps the stop at Al's Place was even the sabbatical that the Bartender mentioned. I always imagined that the "tougher" leaps would involve Sam leaping as himself with no help from the Project.
 
QLNut said:
to me it suggests more that Al and the Project never made contact with Sam again. And if we're going to believe that, then it would be more likely that Sam never indeed went back to leaping "into" people.
We are on the same page Chris. Exactly what I was thinking when I said earlier that he is now leaping as himself as it's suggested that the project no longer has contact with him.

QLNut said:
I always imagined that the "tougher" leaps would involve Sam leaping as himself with no help from the Project.
OMG! we are reading eachother's minds lol. I was also discussing that as well in one of my above posts. :)
Yeah Him leaping as himself now while it may sound like it's easier is actually harder because with each new leap he now has to go through and explain himself, and the fact that now he has no contact with Al to tell him what to do, he needs to go completely on gut feelings alone. Plus with no contact with the project it will he harder for him to get home.

I kind of like the alternate idea of Al going out after him though. it would be neat to see Al as a regular leaper cuz he did pretty well as Captian Jarod. I like that better than Sammy Jo anyway.
 
Sam Beckett Fan said:
Ok cool yout jets, no one ever said that he vanished into thin air. You did something simular in Grimlock's best ep thread about people's commenting on Abigale's appearence. It seems to me you put words in people's mouths sometimes and it's kind of rude. Maybe I am wrong and sorry if I am, but that's what it looks like to me.

I personally was only suggesting that he was leaping around as himself now, or that he went back to the normal leaping, it makes sense if you remember Al giving Sam the preist talk:
"Are you saying the leaps are going to get tougher?"
which could mean eaither that its regular leaping just harder or that hes leaping around as himself now which definietly makes it tougher.
sam beckett fan i didnt mean that you said these things.these are my thoughts. In two words he couldnt vanished in to a thin air or in some alternate universe becouse god would hurt him then..is just there are many ideas on where he might ended up after he lept for the last time and i was just saying the he continued the leapings normally.sorry if i sounded rude to you that wasnt my intension:lol as far for the abigail threads it was my mistake becouse you all had a negative image for this character and i thought you meant about her looks too.. anyway only the writers know what the heck happened to sam and unf we may never found it. and that SUX.
 
Yeah actually my BFF used to read the VS here, and she told me that appearntly there is a season or whatnot where he does kind of vanish into this air cuz they called it "Quantum Leap without Sam Beckett" or something like that. And we were like "What, you've got to be kidding, thats insane!"

So yeah not a good idea, and sorry about the words in people's mouths comment. thanx for explaining.
 
QL Nut said:
Since the final title read (and I really hate to put further emphasis on this beaten-to-death topic/line), "Dr. Sam Becket Never Returned Home," call me a pessimist, but to me it suggests more that Al and the Project never made contact with Sam again. And if we're going to believe that, then it would be more likely that Sam never indeed went back to leaping "into" people. Now, the line technically says that he never returned home, NOT never made contact with Project Quantum Leap again.

I have a different theory,that came up my mind lately,and this theory is - we shouldn't take the line "Dr. Sam Becket Never Returned Home," in such a simplicity.we need to read it as a conclusion of the all series.
I Explain What i mean...
We should think about it this way - there's the original "home" Sam came from, pre-"genesis" -Donna left Sam in the alter,Tom Becket died in Vietnam and Al had 5 wives etc.
And there is the "home" Sam created after all the thing he changed during his leaps - Donna merried to him(though i believe Donna is a unknown variable in Sam Life),Tom didn't die in Vietnam,Al&Beth are still merried and have 4 daughters etc.
So,maybe, What this line ment is - Sam never returned the home he always knew, his home pre-genesis.because it's an impossible mission considering the fact this world is no longer Exist,after he changed his life,Al's life and a lot of other people lifes during his leaps.But it doesn't mean he never returned the "home he created".Even if it was only for a sabbatical.
 
Well, The "Bartender" gave Sam a choice....... Sam said " I want to go home" and then "Al, The bartender" said "then why havent you" Sam then replied "Cause im not the one leaping me, you are" The Bartender then explained to Sam That he's the one thats controling his destiny... no one else.. and he's right! Sam Created Quantum Leap! If Sam Really Wanted to go home all he would have had to do is simply sent himself a letter in the mail stating to not get into the accelerator chamber EVER! Have the letter Dated for 1 minute before he first steps into the accelerator... He would have to explain in this letter that He would never be able to return home... But the price to pay for this decision is that if he never Leaped, then No history would have been changed.. Tom would have still Died, all those people he helped would have never had The life Sam helped them with... etc.... so all that good he had done wouldnt have existed.. so he decided to not help himself... but to keep helping other people.. starting with Al'. Of course what he meant by "The leaps are gonna get harder" might have been because of no contact with the project. When Sam Met Al' he said Al' was drunk and pissed off and beating the crap out of a vending machine... Al's life hadnt been that great. He had been an orphine, been M.I.A for 6 years and Lost the love of his life. If Sam Fixed Al's Marriage with Beth and they stayed together, Then Sam may never have met Al'.... Al' would have probably never been upset that day therefore never would have met Sam... or even if they did Al' would probably have turned down the opportunity to work on Project @uantum Leap because he would have retired to enjoy life with Beth and His Kids, Grandchildren etc... Because of all this, Sam wouldn't have Contact with the project. Of course one more theory i had is that before Sam Leaped the first time, He secretly pre-programed Ziggy to Keep Leaping Him around until he has helped people all the way up to the present day... He wouldnt have told anybody else about this either. And of course he forgot that he did that when his brain was "swiss Cheese" after each leap. So, Nobody knows who is leaping him... but maybe its his hybrid computer?.?.? And when gooshie tries to retrieve Sam, Ziggy is secrety pulling some power from the Acclerator chamber so they dont have enough to get him back......
 
NueroMason said:
If Sam Really Wanted to go home all he would have had to do is simply sent himself a letter in the mail stating to not get into the accelerator chamber EVER!
Hehe ok once again creative thinking but innaccurate. Well ok not inaccurate just not the best idea. This was actully discussed in the novel "Angels Unaware". Sam wanted to do just that except his idea was to make a phone call to himself not send a letter, cuz the leap was in 93' a few months before he leaped. Anyway the problem Al contradicted him with was that if he made it so he never leaps that he will have never helped any of the people he helped, and Sam would never want to do that he loves helping people and gets great satisfaction after each leap. Especically Star-Crossed hehe ;)

Oh yeah and there is also the chance that pre-leap Sam wouldn't believe "himself" or even that the letter is from a future version of himself. I mean would you? Al makes a good and funny comment about Sam's idea to give himself a phone call in "Angel's Unaware":
"Oh and what do you plan to say 'Hi Sam its me Sam...'?"

 
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Alternative idea...

Here's an interesting alternative...

Sam is done leaping through the conventional route of trading places with people. Sam tells Al of his speculation that all the reports of people coming back from the dead are actually leapers, IIRC. What if Sam stopped trading places with people and actually appeared to people who could see him, functioning as a sort of "guardian angel". This way, he would stop changing history but would take preventive measures to make sure that nothing wrong originally happened. Instead of actually leaping into, say, a police officer who has to stop a child from getting kidnapped, he appears to the police officer and tells the officer what's going to happen and how to stop it but he has to tell the police officer that he's an angel of some sort.

Matthew
 
QuantumMatt said:
Here's an interesting alternative...

Sam is done leaping through the conventional route of trading places with people. Sam tells Al of his speculation that all the reports of people coming back from the dead are actually leapers, IIRC. What if Sam stopped trading places with people and actually appeared to people who could see him, functioning as a sort of "guardian angel". This way, he would stop changing history but would take preventive measures to make sure that nothing wrong originally happened. Instead of actually leaping into, say, a police officer who has to stop a child from getting kidnapped, he appears to the police officer and tells the officer what's going to happen and how to stop it but he has to tell the police officer that he's an angel of some sort.

Matthew

There is one problem - how exactley Sam suppose to know what is need to be changed and fixed if he leaped as himself,and no one on the project could contact him,'couse there is no one in the witing room?!
 
QuantumMatt said:
Here's an interesting alternative...

Sam is done leaping through the conventional route of trading places with people. Sam tells Al of his speculation that all the reports of people coming back from the dead are actually leapers, IIRC. What if Sam stopped trading places with people and actually appeared to people who could see him, functioning as a sort of "guardian angel". This way, he would stop changing history but would take preventive measures to make sure that nothing wrong originally happened. Instead of actually leaping into, say, a police officer who has to stop a child from getting kidnapped, he appears to the police officer and tells the officer what's going to happen and how to stop it but he has to tell the police officer that he's an angel of some sort.

Matthew
isz said:
There is one problem - how exactley Sam suppose to know what is need to be changed and fixed if he leaped as himself,and no one on the project could contact him,'couse there is no one in the witing room?!

Actually there are two problems with that concept. Sorry Matt I love the idea but it could never work. Would you believe some guy that just appears out of nowhere and claims to know that something bad is going to happen to you or someone you love? There is a reason Sam had to do his job Furtively and undercover.

Lets take the Bashe leap for example since it came to mind. If you were Irene what would you do if some guy appeared out of nowhere and said:
"Be careeful you are going to have an affair with Burt Glasserman and ruin your family."
She'd probably respond that she would never have an affair and that she's married for goodness sake so buzz off and mind his own business. Sorry Matt but Sam would get nothing accomplished that way otherwise God would have had him doing it that way to begin with.
 
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Sam Beckett Fan said:
Actually there are two problems with that concept. Sorry Matt I love the idea but it could never work. Would you believe some guy that just appears out of nowhere and claims to know that something bad is going to happen to you or someone you love? There is a reason Sam had to do his job Furtively and undercover.

Lets take the Bashe leap for example since it came to mind. If you were Irene what would you do if some guy appeared out of nowhere and said:
"Be careeful you are going to have an affair with Burt Glasserman and ruin your family."
She'd probably respond that she would never have an affair and that she's married for goodness sake so buzz off and mind his own business. Sorry Matt but Sam would get nothing accomplished that way otherwise God would have had him doing it that way to begin with.

Ah well...it was an interesting thought! ;)

Matthew
 
Sam Beckett Fan said:
Actually there are two problems with that concept. Sorry Matt I love the idea but it could never work. Would you believe some guy that just appears out of nowhere and claims to know that something bad is going to happen to you or someone you love? There is a reason Sam had to do his job Furtively and undercover.

So then, going by this hypothesis the end of "Mirror Image" has to be changed. Matt's theory is a sound one going by what "Mirror Image" establishes.

Sam appears out of no where to Beth, tells her that Al's alive and to wait for him and she does just that. If Matt's theory (actually, Bellisario's storyline) wasn't a sound one then Beth would have written Sam off as some looney who broke into her house, she would have gone ahead and had Al declared dead and remarried. But, as we find out from the black cards at the end, she did believe Sam and she did wait for Al. So, therefore, it is safe to assume that Sam could still accomplish his mission as himself.

Frankly, someone materializing out of thin air would tend to get your attention. If they can do that, then why would what they're telling you be out the realm of possibility. Added to this, even if you don't believe the person who's warning you of something, when/if events start going as they've predicted, you might be more inclined to put stock into what the person has told you.

Originally Posted by isz
There is one problem - how exactley Sam suppose to know what is need to be changed and fixed if he leaped as himself,and no one on the project could contact him,'couse there is no one in the witing room?!

Actually, reading Matt's theory he never says that no one at the project can contact him. In fact he states:

Sam tells Al of his speculation that all the reports of people coming back from the dead are actually leapers, IIRC.

Thereby establishing within his theory the fact that Sam is, in fact, in contact with Al and thus (one can assume) the project.
 
I just think that if Sam is leaping around as himself he would have to rely on his own instincts as to what needs fixing. His instincts haven't failed him so far.

Maybe the point of all the leaps pre-mirror image were to get Sam to learn to trust his instincts...
 
Jmoniz said:
Sam appears out of no where to Beth, tells her that Al's alive and to wait for him and she does just that. If Matt's theory (actually, Bellisario's storyline) wasn't a sound one then Beth would have written Sam off as some looney who broke into her house, she would have gone ahead and had Al declared dead and remarried. But, as we find out from the black cards at the end, she did believe Sam and she did wait for Al. So, therefore, it is safe to assume that Sam could still accomplish his mission as himself.

True but there he is able to say that he's a friend of Al's which is true, so Beth has a reason to listen to him. Remember how freaked she was when she turned around and first saw him, she probably would have called the police had Sam not mentioned being a friend of Al's. PLus she is vulnerable at that point she probably would have listened to anyone that said Al was alive because she obviously wants that to be true. She could have just took Sam's claim to heart because she wanted so badly for it to be true not necessarily because she trusted his word. Not to mention she has never seen this man before so what reason does she have to believe him?

Jmoniz said:
Frankly, someone materializing out of thin air would tend to get your attention. If they can do that, then why would what they're telling you be out the realm of possibility. Added to this, even if you don't believe the person who's warning you of something, when/if events start going as they've predicted, you might be more inclined to put stock into what the person has told you.
Thats IF his target sees him appear, he may not always appear in the person's site so if he's not seen appearing out of thin air than he has no proof of his claim. At least until something starts happening that matches it as you stated. I see what you are saying though and can make sense of it. But my view still makes sense to me as well. So I am not sure anymore what the chances are that it could work that way.
 
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jmoniz said:
Actually, reading Matt's theory he never says that no one at the project can contact him. In fact he states:



Thereby establishing within his theory the fact that Sam is, in fact, in contact with Al and thus (one can assume) the project.

O.k so i have 3 simple questions about 3 basics things in life, for everybody who believes,that after MI Sam is leaping as himself...
1. If Sam is leaping as himself from where does he brings money to hmm...maintain himself?
which brings me to my next question -
2. How exactley Sam buy himself food to eat,clothes to wear etc.?!
and finally -
3.Where exactley Sam is sleeping at nights?!

And another question to those who believes ,that after MI Sam leaps as himself and has no contact to the project...
4.How Would Sam know what to do in the place he leapt to?!
 
jmoniz said:
So then, going by this hypothesis the end of "Mirror Image" has to be changed. Matt's theory is a sound one going by what "Mirror Image" establishes.

Sam appears out of no where to Beth, tells her that Al's alive and to wait for him and she does just that. If Matt's theory (actually, Bellisario's storyline) wasn't a sound one then Beth would have written Sam off as some looney who broke into her house, she would have gone ahead and had Al declared dead and remarried. But, as we find out from the black cards at the end, she did believe Sam and she did wait for Al. So, therefore, it is safe to assume that Sam could still accomplish his mission as himself.

Frankly, someone materializing out of thin air would tend to get your attention. If they can do that, then why would what they're telling you be out the realm of possibility. Added to this, even if you don't believe the person who's warning you of something, when/if events start going as they've predicted, you might be more inclined to put stock into what the person has told you.



Actually, reading Matt's theory he never says that no one at the project can contact him. In fact he states:



Thereby establishing within his theory the fact that Sam is, in fact, in contact with Al and thus (one can assume) the project.

Julia,

I am thinking that maybe I gave up far too easily on my own hypothesis here. Now that I read your response to it, I agree that it has some plausiblity. It's quite possible. I wasn't sure just how Sam would get back into the waiting room given that his body was gone. But Sam's speculation and the fact, as you pointed out, that Beth believed him, does tend to add to the possibility and doesn't rule it out.

Matthew
 
isz said:
O.k so i have 3 simple questions about 3 basics things in life, for everybody who believes,that after MI Sam is leaping as himself...
1. If Sam is leaping as himself from where does he brings money to hmm...maintain himself?
which brings me to my next question -
2. How exactley Sam buy himself food to eat,clothes to wear etc.?!
and finally -
3.Where exactley Sam is sleeping at nights?!

And another question to those who believes ,that after MI Sam leaps as himself and has no contact to the project...
4.How Would Sam know what to do in the place he leapt to?!
I agree those are some major problems as well, as himself he would also need to support himself. He would need to aquire money himself, feed himself, and house and clothe himself. Not easy when you are not in one place for more than three days to a week.

I suppose if written the right way the idea could have some merit but I don't support it. I like good old concept better. Its part of what makes the show interesting, unique and fun to watch; Seeing Sam "fumble through and servive" as Scott puts it in his short interview at the beginning of Double Identity. Matt's concept is more a mimic of the recently created Journeyman. Except in Journeyman he returns to the present in between each time as it's believed Sam originally intended PQL.

Oh btw I have not seen Journeyman yet I just saw a pretty detailed commercial a while ago when I saw Nanny Diaries with my mom.
 
A theory I came up with a few years ago, was that the constant use of nuclear energy caused Sam's true body to dissipate, leaving only the kind of "ghost" that Stawpah (most likely misspelled that) was in MIrror Image; that Sam's actions hadn't gone unnoticed, thus as a final reward, he was given the ultimatum, to help himself and return home, or help Al by preventing Beth from remarrying.

Think about Stawpah, and the way he seemed to know about the trapped miners, as though he himself had once leaped into one, or both, of the miners.
Being a former miner himself, this might've been HIS last wish, his final request to the bartender Al.

Still, the closest thing we have to the absolute truth; Bellisario's original ending, before Warren Littlefield (the turd who ran NBC at the time) cancelled the show; that being, that Sam's leaps took him into the future, and from that point on, my guess is either his intent was to change the "Sam's Lifetime" rule, allow Sam only to leap up until the year of his death, or use the exception to the lifetime rule; just as Sam leaped before his birth, into his great grandfather, he would leap into the future via his daughter, and her offspring.

I've often wondered, about the sad ending-"why?", and the only answer is that Bellisario had split up with Deborah Pratt, and, left in that "no happy endings" mindframe, decided to turn Sam into a martyr of sorts.

Okay, one final observation about the final episode- the more I watch it, and see the return appearance of actors throughout the series, I begin to wonder that maybe Al's Place is an illusion created by Sam's mind (though this offers no explanation as to how Al can find him by searching the year of his birth) since it IS Sam who, allegedly, has subconscious control over his leaps (perhaps why he was able to leap into several people for one task, in "Double Identity" and in the episodes I sometimes refer to as the Abigail Trilogy)

It's the only reasonable explanation, that I can think of anyway, as to why Sam would be holding a wallet with an ID from the future.
And it'd explain the recurring actors, with appearances familiar to Sam, and identities, for the most part, foreign to Sam; that he was having, understandably, an identity crisis at this point, where his "swiss-cheesed" mind was trying to sync up faces to personalities- why?

Because, by that point and time, Sam's subconscious realized what he had to do for Al, and for Sam to "evolve" as it were, to no longer needing to use the bodies of others, he first needed to remember what Beth, and her location, looked like, and thus his mind went through the faces and personalities he'd encountered in his travels; some matched their true identity (Jimmy, known as "Pete" in Mirror Image, and his brother) while others were way off (Captain Galaxy, named Ziggy)
When Sam hears that, he begins to work out in his head who Ziggy and Captain Galaxy really are, thus filling in the holes of his swiss-cheesed brain.

Plus, there's the fact that in spite of being Sam's birthdate, the people whom he recognized appeared the exact same as they had when he originally encountered them.
Still, the flaw in that theory is that Al (Calavicci not the bartender) can still find Sam.

Wow, thinking about the thousands of possible interpretations for that episode is making my brain hurt- and REALLY making me wanna watch that episode again(gotta find the copy I recorded onto a DVD-R off of Sci-Fi- screw the DVD set, when they removed "Georgia On My Mind" from M.I.A. I lost all faith in TV DVDs)

Still, if he leaped back into himself, where'd the fermi suit go? (That tight little white number that drove women, and bi guys like myself, crazy :)
 
term180 said:
that the constant use of nuclear energy caused Sam's true body to dissipate, leaving only the kind of "ghost" that Stawpah (most likely misspelled that) was in MIrror Image

You mean he dies? But thats sad, and how will he ever get home?
 
Well, that's just one theory-there are more potential theories than there are actual Quantum Leap episodes (thanks to Warren Littlefraud cancelling the series so early)

The one intangible is Al Calavicci- Al C. saw and spoke with Sam, so he'd have to have been alive, and Al C. saw the bar, though failed to witness some of its more supernatural events, such as the deceased leaper (well, Al C.'s uncle) but he'd have to have noticed the familiar faces (since Al C.'s memory would be sharper than Sam's, if Sam recognized them, Al C. must've)

But, where did Sam go after telling Beth the news of Al being alive?
I'm guessing he disappeared the same way Stawpah did, maybe Stawpah was a bit of foreshadowing for Sam.

Or maybe, the reason he never returned home, is that he leaped right into the transporter aboard the Enterprise, and continued his journey from there :D