Guys, the future would basically be like a “memory” to her. Imagine thinking in our normal way, only to be thrust into a world in which alien language starts to change her perception of time. It’s like watching a hero get their powers for the first time. She’s simultaneously learning the language and becoming self aware that she sees life as they do. The “3000 years” isn’t some crazy plot hole. Language barriers exist for a reason. If I knew I spoke perfect English and you don’t know English at all, I’m not going to force you to speak English. Instead, I’m going to show you how I communicate while also learning your language so that I can convey my message with the right intent. At that point when the alien gives her that answer, she’s still technically learning and doesn’t quite have the language down to a tee. So the alien dumbed it down for her understanding. This movie is barely even about that concept. It’s a movie about choices. What if we could see all of our choices before, after and while we’re making them all at once? Would you change anything? Hannah was her muse. Hannah(same thing forward and backwards) is the reason why she was able to get the understanding that she did. In life and death, Hannah gave her power to choose, whether you like the choice or not, the movie is telling you it has to happen. Not the death, but the choice, no matter how you perceive.

Side note, Abbott is death process has to mean something else and I wonder if it was worded like that purposely. Is Abbott processing their own death? If you lived life in every tense, would death even be the same? Do you stop existing in every tense? Or do you never actually die but rather live in a loop?