How does Great's time travel work in 4 Minutes? Explained 

The Thai BL series, 4 Minutes, has been making waves in the industry, captivating audiences with its mysterious plot and suspenseful storytelling. It has been produced by the same creators behind the hit BL series, KinnPorsche. The show stars Bible Wichapas and Jes Jespipat as the main leads. The ensemble cast includes Bas Asavapatr, Job Yosatorn, Fuaiz Thanawat, Mio Athens, and Jet Jetsadakorn.

Unlike typical romantic BLs, 4 Minutes focuses primarily on mystery and suspense rather than romance. With seven out of eight episodes already released, fans are still in the dark about many aspects of the story and eagerly await the final episode for answers.

The central plot revolves around Great, played by Bible, who has the unique ability to travel 4 minutes into the future and prevent some events from happening. Every time he experiences chest pain, he is taken 4 minutes into the future and his time gets stuck at 11:00.

The "4 minutes" concept is linked to the belief that during a cardiac arrest, a person's life flashes in front of their eyes for 4 minutes, as the human brain can withstand permanent brain damage for up to 4 minutes without oxygen.

While this may sound like a straightforward time-travel premise, the storyline is anything but simple. Even Great himself is puzzled by this ability and turns to Dr Tyme (played by Jes Jespipat) for answers.

Viewers have found themselves confused by certain events, unclear why things are happening the way they are. This lingering mystery has led fans to develop a wide range of theories in an attempt to decode the plot.

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The 4 Minutes theories through the lens of the series as well as the fans

From the very first episode, it's established that Great can travel 4 minutes into the future, but the significance of the number "4" is unclear for much of the series. It isn’t until Dr Den, Tyme’s colleague, explains in episode 5 that the mystery is somewhat clarified.

Dr Den reveals that when a person experiences cardiac arrest, their brain remains active for "4 minutes" after death, during which they may experience flashes of their life. This revelation ties into the show’s title and Great’s ability to foresee events.

Throughout the series, particularly at the start and end of episode 7, viewers see Great lying in a hospital bed as doctors attempt to revive him. This has led to fan theories suggesting that Great is already dead and the entire series is taking place in his mind during those four final minutes of brain activity.

Some viewers speculate that he is actually in a coma, reliving key moments of his life and attempting to correct past mistakes by looking into the future.

At the end of episode 7, the shocking scene of Tonkla (Great's brother Korn's lover) shooting Great while he descends in an elevator has sparked further fan theories.

Many believe that the chest pain Great experiences each time he enters the elevator is a hint that he has already been shot, supporting the idea that much of what we see is happening in his mind or is part of a coma-induced vision.

Another recurring element in the series is the appearance of the time "11:00." The show frequently focuses on clocks displaying the numbers “11:00,” “11:01,” and “11:02.” Whenever Great is alone, the clock seems stuck at 11 and around, but when he is with others, time moves normally. Fans believe this detail is connected to the moment Great dies, theorizing that 11:00 is the time of his death.

Additionally, Tyme is shown being shot at 11:00 as well, leading viewers to speculate that both Great and Tyme died at the same time, linking their experiences and suggesting they may be "traveling" through their memories together.

Fans have been intrigued by the actions of Tonkla, whose motivations remain a mystery. Throughout the series, Tonkla has displayed increasingly erratic and violent behavior, including shooting Great and killing his own father.

Viewers have theorized that he may be suffering from a personality disorder or some other mental health issue, which could explain his unpredictable actions. His troubled relationship with Korn (Great’s brother), and Korn’s emotional unavailability, are seen as possible triggers for Tonkla’s violent outbursts.

As the series nears its conclusion, fans are eager to see how these various plot threads will be tied together. Why did Tonkla shoot Great? Why was Tyme shot? What is the true significance of the number "4" and the time "11:00"?

All these questions hang in the balance as viewers anticipate the release of the eighth and final episode, which is due this coming Friday, September 13. Fans hope that their theories will be confirmed or perhaps disproven, in what promises to be an intense and revealing finale of 4 Minutes.