Lost 6.04: The Substitute, Part 3

A few more thoughts before I call mom and probably during…

Sawyer can’t be killed by MIB because he’s a candidate? Does this mean Michael couldn’t die because he was a candidate? Until time was up, whatever that means, until he does something to prove he no longer IS a candidate or until he’s killed through a loophole? Which leads to when is it ok for a candidate to die? When they kill each other off, it’s fine, but Smokey himself is not allowed to? Does that mean Eko was NOT a candidate? He seemed like one to me! And the pilot? But it explains why it never harmed Jack, etc. And does this mean that not everyone who ends up on the Island is a candidate? And still, that means what? I keep thinking MIB is lying and this is HIS cave, but actually, now that I think about it, Jacob COULD have been preparing candidates knowing that MIB would find that loophole someday. I find it hard to believe that Jacob didn’t see what MIB was doing all this time. Maybe he is just not allowed to stop it for some reason or perhaps MIB’s actions would be the catalyst that causes this group of survivors to actually “end” things and prove Jacob right.

42 could very well be Ji Yeon rather than either of the parents. As R said very concisely “That’s why ‘their love’ matters.” Exactly my thoughts.

MIB says a lot of J believing he needed to protect the Island. But seems like J’s objectives had nothing to do with that. He continuously brought people to the Island. J’s objectives seem to have remained pure, to prove mankind is good (something God tried to prove through Job in a bet with the Devil. Yes, people believe that. And I hate that I know Christian theology better than anything else, because surely these stories came before the Christian version and surely these smart writers know far more than I.). But MIB has grown tired of the battle, and has focused his attentions on killing Jacob and escaping his “prison.”

Locke/MIB: MIB, just like Locke 1, has been unable to accept his position in life and is resistant to the rules and laws that make him what he is. Locke 2 has come to terms with his limitations and vows to live happy in those boundaries. Something something.

The kid…the first time we see him: blood on his hands, a holy light. Could still be Jacob. J does have a lot of blood on his hands, despite being the good guy. Also could refer to MIB having killed him but not for good. They seem to WANT us to be aware of this kid’s resemblance to J. And they’d have to know we’d find a resemblance to Aaron as well. Though I think Aaron’s older presence would be harder to explain. I still say “you know the rules, you cannot kill him” refer to Sawyer. And the kid’s demeanor was more angry than authoritative to me, but MIB did seem to be somewhat frustrated by the enforcement of those rules. The child could be a higher being or just the referee or still Jacob. If it’s Jacob he could be referring to the idea that you cannot kill good, you always have to have both. But how abstract is that?

Added: Mom says MIB falls and ends up prostrate looking up at the child. The Child is absolutely above MIB.
Old spoiler states that we find out Jacob has a child, and Locke is one of the possibilities…hm.
In any case, it’s still possible this is a third entity who just knows who to appear as to affect MIB the most. Appearing as kid Jacob if the two were kids together here at some point would be perfect.
Free. Will. Free. Will. ……. Such a thing…. The rules….

Also how far back do Locke’s changes go? He was into science as a teenager but denied that part of himself to try popularity and jockhood. But now he’s a substitute science teacher and coach. Which implies he accepted more a true blend of who he is and what he likes. Did Mittelos Bioscience exist for him to go to camp? And Locke and Helen, I love that they clearly must have met in a totally different way, but still they met and fell in love.

I definitely think the cave has to be Smokey’s, I mean, if Juliet’s name was on there marked out and she died hours after Jacob did, then he would have to mark her out after he died, so who marked her out? MIB, surely. UNLESS…the names are not marked out at the time of death, but instead when that person is no longer considered a “candidate.” Linus is marked out. If it refers to Ben, then he’s still alive and not considered a candidate. If it refers to Roger, then it could’ve been at death. “Straume” is also marked out. He’s not dead, but he DID refuse candidacy sort of when he refused to accept Bram’s offer to go to the Island.

Ok, other people we don’t see (which doesn’t mean anything) Kate, Ana Lucia, Michael or Walt, Eko… Here’s the thing: Pickett didn’t think Jack was on Jacob’s list, and Patchy didn’t think Kate, Locke, or Sayid were on the list. So all that proves is that the Others believed in a list that did not have these people on it. Was THEIR list actually Jacob’s and this list is MIB’s? Or is this Jacob’s real list and MIB was giving lists to the Others instead? And why did Richard not know? How did this much get past him? If Richard was always conveying the messages to Ben, who was Richard getting the messages from and why didn’t he know what was up? And why does Ilana know so much more?? (“He’s stuck this way now.”) Sure, Jacob told her, I guess, but what did he tell her, how did he know, and why her? Is she the off-Island Richard? Whatever that means! But reminds me, why is MIB NOW stuck this way? He took over Christian’s body for a long time and wasn’t stuck that way. Is it because Jacob is dead? Interested to know more about this…

What if Smokey can’t leave until someone takes his place? The “substitute” means MIB can get off the Island in Locke’s body as long as someone willingly takes his place as Smokey on the Island, and refers to his attempt to get Sawyer to be that guy. Awesome. He should ask Sawyer What does one snowman say to the other snowman?

Gonna call mom…