Mr. Cinema

The protectors of the island were both faith based (Mother, Jacob). MIB was science based. If the candidate to replace Jacob ends up being Jack, then he'll be the first one who may be both science and faith based. We know he's super doctor and had a strong scientific background. But since he's returned to the island, he seems to be moving a bit in the faith direction. The old Jack was always leading, making choices, taking charge. Now he's starting to have some faith and belief in everyone else. He stuck with Hurley during the episode where he takes them to MIB. I think he tells Hurley he trusts his decision and I thought he said something about how he's always made choices for everyone, but now he's done doing that and will just sort of listen to everyone else. That sounds like a hands-off approach compared to before.

He believes now that he can't leave the island. He knows how he felt when he was gone and knows now he has a purpose. The old Jack couldn't wait to leave and didn't believe anything bad would happen if he did. He seems to be displaying the qualities of the island's new protector. He believes in it.

I think of all the characters, Jack has probably evolved the most since the beginning.

Timber

Like I said earlier I think that it's actually both Jacob and MiB that are the protectors. They're both opposite sides of the coin. It just doesn't make sense that Jacob would be pure when Mother wasn't. I think that's why she got so upset when MiB tried to leave the island.

CPA-ESQ.

I'm going with the theory that the mother was also a Smokey - she went into the light a long time ago,,, and was trapped on the island.

The boys were her ticket "out." she appeared to MIB as the dead mother, manipulated their upbringing to play the role that they needed to - in order to break the "curse" and free her from her role, and ultimately take her place (whatever that is).

That knife also has something to do with it - remember you have to stab someone before they have a chance to speak. In addition, I think that is the knife that the temple guy gave to Syaid to kill Flocke.

Michael Corvin

Actually, ignore midichlorians and just focus on the OT. Lucas set up the rules of the force within 30 minutes of SW with Obi-Wan's speech to Luke. You know that "It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together." It's in all living things and greed, hate and anger lead to the dark side. Pretty simple and we accept it because that is what the first movie told us. Those are the rules this movie universe set forth.

Now imagine watching SW, ESB and ROTJ with all the references to the Force removed. You never have that scene of Obi-Wan telling Luke about the force. In that scenario you'd have Luke, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Vader and the Emperor doing all this mystical crazy shit throughout all three films with no basis or reason why. Then in the third act of Jedi you insert a flashback of Ben explaining the force to Luke. You wouldn't accept that, it would be bullshit. You came to grips that these are just some crazy wizards (or something), so saying all birds, bees, grass and trees have the force would be preposterous and destroy what was accepted to that point.

It's the same with Lost. Since they never laid the ground rules and told us how things are supposed to be on the island, MiB, Jacob, light cave, etc., getting an explanation in the third act is bullshit even if they knew the rules and just kept them from the viewer. So the onus was on the writers to lay the groundwork long before we got to this point and they failed. They were too busy trying to keep us in the dark about... well, everything.

Timber

I agree with everything you wrote. It's obvious Mother was a smokey. She completely manipulated MiB.

I'll go even further and say she saw her way out the second the second child came out. With just Jacob I don't think she was going to kill the real mother but when MiB came out she knew where she knew her replacements were there.

andy434343

Lots of hate for this episode! I don't agree and here are some of my thoughts why:

The man in black and Jacob were taken away from humans in order to keep them clean of the ways of mankind. This means that they are raised by something "higher" than humans, and more fit to protect what they are to protect, since they are not corrupted by man.

The man in black was corrupted by man, since he wanted to utilize something with his people, that was not meant to be utilized by humans.

When their "mother" realizes that the men on the island are going to tap into the very thing that they are there to protect, she kills them all, since their lives are less important than protecting the light (whatever the light might truly be).

This might also help to explain how Sayid was "Reborn", since the mother explained the light is life, death, and rebirth.

I can only imagine that this episode took place a LONG time ago, thousands of years ago, and MANY more people have come to the island as potential replacements for Jacob.

It was probably after this episode when Egyptians or whoever it was, that came to the island and realized its powers. I don't need to see how the statue or lighthouse was made.

I liked that we got to see real conflict of interests between the two brothers, on whether to stay to protect what is on the island (which they were never truly told what it was), or to leave the island to go where they really came from.

It is perfectly fitting for LOST, BUT I did as well HATE the fact that they showed Jack, Kate, and John with "Adam and Eve", we are not that retarded......but usually there is someone who we all work with that IS that retarded and probably LOVED that they showed that.

Like this woman I work with who said recently that "If you pay attention, you see things that give you hints of whats happening, like when Jack and John are in the hospital hallway after the surgery, you see that ASIAN GUY walking down the hall.........I think that they are all meeting up."

cerial442

Surprised at all of the hate. Everyone I've talked to seemed to love this episode, way different reaction on here.

Some of the questions are answered what's done is done. If they wouldn't have answered the questions there would be the same amount of hate going for it. I don't see how a light in a cave that caused someone to be reborn as a smoke monster is any different that time traveling to the 70s, but whatever.

How would you have rather they explained it.

dsa_shea

I think that Smokey is the protector of the island and the Candidate is the one to insure that he stays there and does that job whether he wants to or not.

MoviePage

I had a feeling that by the end of this season, the complaints would turn to "too many answers!"

I think it would be better if a lot of these things that can't really be satisfyingly answered were kept in the dark, retaining their mystery.

It seems like a lot of people have this feeling that they're owed a scientifically realistic explanation as to why Richard can live forever, or where the smoke monster came from, or what the "secret" of the island is.

The fact is, we can't have it both ways since these things can't happen in reality. Either we get no answer, or we get mystical baloney.

I'm not necessarily defending this episode. It just seems like the producers of the show haven't been able to win this season, despite having turned out several amazing hours of entertainment.

And I assume the idea with the Egyptians is to underline the fact that the island has been a place of mystery since the earliest days of mankind. I don't need them to show me a flashback involving ancient Egyptians who speak English and wear terrible costumes. I get it.

superfro

During Season 1 I had a lady in my office freak out over the fact that John Locke was in a wheelchair in the season finale. "Did you notice that?! What's that all about?! How is he walking on the island?!"

Words can't even describe.....

HE Pennypacker

Yes, because everyone who watches Lost obsesses over it and remembers every detail the show ever produced. For people who have never rewatched any episodes, it was very helpful.

Flave

I think these are on the island to impart a sense of age. The Taweret statue -- which apparently entered Egyptian mythology around 2500-3000 BC -- implies the island was around 4500-5000 years ago. And it's probably older than that and I think we're to infer that it dates back to the dawn of civilization. And may be the source of our civilization?

I don't have anything to contribute beyond what many of you have already posted so I'll just say this: J.J. Abrams and his minions are absolute pricks about doling out information. Following Alias was one of the greatest exercises in frustration in television history. The Alias finale, while mostly satisfying, left a lot unanswered and I strongly suspect that this Abrams bastard-child will end the same way.

He/they seem to have this formula. They come up with as mysterious a premise as their fevered imaginations can dream up but with no real sense of ultimate resolution -- it just has to be as mysterious as possible. Who is Rimbaldi? What is this mystical island? Then make stuff up as you go along and drip-feed fans the minimum amount of information you can get away with over the years. When the series has run its course, flail around desperately to try and tie together as many loose ends as possible. Repeat with next TV series.

I'll be honest -- when I first heard about Lost and that it was an Abrams TV show, I came THIS CLOSE to skipping it altogether. Maybe I should have trusted my instincts.

auto

But they're not the answers WE wanted!

redrum

I can't even imagine how many replies the series finale thread is gonna get on here

Beehut

What is the oldest evidence of travel by ship? This wreck that brought Jacob & MIB's birth mother to the island would have to pre-date that, you'd think.

And are we sure (not sure I even watched the episode) that when Jack saw A&E's skeletons, he didn't say they were the bones of a 50 year old, not that they were bones decomposing for 50 years? Just a question. Only thing that would make the 50 year decomposition make sense would be the death of the mother and brother and the transfer of their corpses via time travel...

majorjoe23

Can I take neither option?

bmoney1023

I've never rewatched any of the episodes and I remembered the "Adam and Eve" skeletons. I have friends who started watching the entire series when it started or even 4 months ago and they all remembered that part.

Gdrlv

A woman in my office just asked me why they showed Jack, Kate, and Locke with the bodies of MIB and his "mother" and asked if I thought it meant Jack, Kate, and Locke had travelled back in time. I told her, "No. That's from the first season. They found those bodies and called them Adam and Eve." She asked me how the hell I remembered something that happened on a TV show 5 years ago.

Timber

They also recapped it earlier in the season with Jack and Hurley. If you can't remember something from this season then you probably shouldn't be watching the show at this point.

bmoney1023

Another thing with the skeletons is that there have been plenty of other times where they've shown or answered something and never felt the need to show a flashback. Maybe the skeletons will end up being of more significance in the finale but I'm not sure how. If not, then it seems pointless showing the flashback. If people don't remember them then they obviously didn't care about knowing who they used to be.

Watching the first season, I thought discovering them was important at the time because I believe they hadn't yet come into contact with any of the island's current or previous inhabitants at that point. Showing two bodies that had long been there seemed significant. Later on, as the biblical connections got stronger I also thought back to them. Most other people I know also didn't have trouble remembering them but maybe that's just us...

Larry C.

I think you guys are jumping the gun here. I can understand the fustration levels are peaking due to the fact that the show is ending, but for the love of God relax a bit. First of all those that are disappointed that the its leaning the spirtual way instead of the scientific way need to realize the scientists were there because of the phenomenon of the powers of the island. It seems the island is the the playground of freewill and fate. I personally love the fact thats its more mysterious and less scientific. Who doesn't wanna be like Jacob and Richard and take a sip of wine from that damn cup.

dsa_shea

I'm more leaning towards believing that Smokey is the Protector of the island despite not wanting to be there and the Mother, Jacob, Next are his supervisors to insure that he doesn't leave the island.

Larry C.

Maybe the canidate is for smokey and not jacob?

dsa_shea

Nope! There can't be any candidates living on the island in order for Smokey to be able to leave.

Raul3

Really really surprised by all the hate. I enjoyed the episode. Not the best of the series or even the season but really enjoyable for me.

My theory, that I don't expect to be answered by the show, is that yeah, the mother was Smoky too, she had both persons on her. So she was expecting a replacement, one replacement, and was really surprised when two boys were delivered. So her two persons were split on both of them. She even gave the game to MIB, the one with the black and white rocks to show that. So yeah, I guess she was the one that showed as the dead mother to MIB.

This was posted before, really good link, basically I agree with the writer:
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-al...sed-by-another

Those were the Lost writers to the show fans.