“We’re talking very seriously about revealing [what caused the blackout] before end of this season,” Kripke tells EW. The answer is something that’s passed muster from a physicist consulted by the producers. So expect what caused the blackout to be at least somewhat scientifically plausible.
“The sweet spot is to find an answer that’s actually scarier than what you were thinking,” Kripke says. “Like, ‘Oh wait, this is not even just about electricity.’ And that’s what we’re designing. I don’t see any reason to withhold it much longer.”
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One fan question about the epic power loss that’s been asked since the pilot — Wouldn’t steam engines work? — was answered in a recent episode that showed a steam train. Another recent episode featuring a thunderstorm resulted in a debate in the writers room over whether lightning would still work (it does).
This should be interesting. They seem to be running the show with a fairly deft hand so far. I’ve only been slightly annoyed by a few things here and there.