Revolution's Elizabeth Mitchell and Giancarlo Esposito Share Their Theories on the Blackout

What caused the blackout? That's what everyone who watched Revolution's record-breaking premiere last week wants to know — even the series' own stars! Elizabeth Mitchell (Rachel) and Giancarlo Esposito (Capt. Neville) talked to TVGuide.com about their theories on what turned off the lights.

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After the pilot ended with twist — Grace (Maria Howell) pulling out a flash drive that restarted her computer — we had to start rethinking our theories (and the rules of physics). Mitchell's suggestion:  "I am very intrigued by the fact that if you do have a device near it, like they show at the end of the episode, that the electricity is again okay. That to me would say that there is some sort of a shield."

Esposito took Mitchell's theory one step further. "I know that there's a device now that if it's within 100 miles offshore — and by the way, we only monitor 100 miles offshore —  if it's 105 miles offshore, a magnetic pull could pull all the energy in this city of Willmington [N.C.] and put us in a blackout. In New York or in California it could do the same thing," the actor told TVGuide.com.

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So is Esposito right? Could the answer be as simple as magnets? It would support Eric Kripke's claim that whatever turned off the power is theoretically possible (they even ran the secret by an actual physicist to check). Not to mention, Revolution producer J.J. Abrams does have a history with electromagnestism.

But whatever the cause, the show's world, filled with a violent militia and corrupt government, has made Mitchell a little nervous about the big reveal. "I almost don't want them to say the answer because I don't want someone to test it," she laughed.

What do you think caused the blackout?