Ya'll still stuck on this time travel shyt...
Move on. Let it go. There's better things to discuss. Dap each other and wrap. it. up.
Time travel as a plot device is a springboard for debates that never go anywhere. Always has. Always will be. Remember the discussions surrounding the Looper ending? DAOFP?
No plot involving time travel will ever make complete sense. There will always be inconsistencies, plot holes, and most of the audience will be left with a faint feeling of incompleteness. Nothing you can do about it but move on.
Believe me, even if the show tries to give us a straight answer, It still wouldn't provide the kind of certainty that you guys seem to be looking for.