Man in black is given wine by Jacob, smashes the bottle

In one last flashback, we see the man in black sitting on a hill overlooking the valley. Jacob approaches and sees the man passing the white stone from hand to hand. Jacob points it out and the man tells him not to gloat. The stone signifies Richard's choosing Jacob's side.

Jacob then rhetorically asks if he tried to kill him and the man says that he just wants to leave and asks Jacob to let him in a begging tone. Jacob says that as long as he's alive, the man isn't going to leave and adds that even if he manages to kill him, someone else would just take his place. The man says that he would kill the replacements too.

Jacob pulls out the bottle of wine he shared with Richard earlier and gives to the man to help him pass the time. Once Jacob says "I'll see you around" and then leaves. The man says "sooner than you think" and smashes the bottle on the log.

So, if the island is the cork, what does breaking the glass mean? It also seems, at least by Jacob's tone, that this is the first time the man in black has tried to kill Jacob. If people have come and gone (meaning died) many times before, why has the man waited until now to try to get rid of Jacob?

Hurley helps Richard make his peace with Isabella, says they must stop the man in black

Back in the present, Richard makes his way back to the ruins where he digs up Isabella's gold cross. He looks up and starts yelling that he was wrong and that he changed his mind. He's opening that the man in black (Locke in this time) will hear him.

He turns around to find Hurley instead who tells him that Isabella sent him and she wants to know why he buried her cross. Hurley says that she is standing right next to Richard and that he'll tell Richard what she says. She wants him to close his eyes, just like she told him to do when she was dying.

She tells Richard that it is not his fault that she died and it was just her time. She says that he has suffered enough and when he says that he misses her, she says that they are already together. Isabella then disappears.

Hurley then tells Richard that she said one more thing. She said that they have to stop the man in black from leaving the island or "We all go to hell." We then see an extra-wide shot where we can see Locke looking over the valley where the are.

Again the question is, what havoc will be unleashed if Locke (the man in black) successfully leaves the island?

Richard gives the man in black a white stone, buries Isabella's gold cross

Richard returns to the ruins where the man in black is waiting. The man immediately knows that Richard didn't kill Jacob and then Richard gives him a white stone from Jacob. The stone is like the one the man in black (Locke) threw into the ocean in "The Substitute."

The man in black tells Richard that if he ever changes his mind, the deal he offered to give him Isabella back will still stand. He then gives Richard Isabella's gold cross which he says he found in the Black Rock. When Richard looks back up, the man in black has disappeared.

Richard goes over to an old stone bench and digs a small hole in front of it and buries the gold cross.

Jacob explains that the island is a cork to contain evil, gives Richard eternal life

Richard sits outside the statue wrapped in a blanket as Jacob approaches carrying a bottle of wine. Richard asks what is inside the statue and Jacob only says that no one comes in unless he invites them in. Jacob tells Richard that he is not the devil and reveals that he brought the Black Rock to the island.

Jacob then tells Richard to think of the wine in the bottle as hell or malevolence, evil or darkness. He says that if the evil got out, it would spread and that the cork in the bottle is the island, which keeps the evil where it belongs.

He continues explaining that the man in black believes that everyone is corruptible because it is in their nature to sin. Jacob says he brings people here to the island prove him wrong, because on the island, their past doesn't matter.

He said that before Richard, there were many other people who all died. Jacob says that he didn't help the people because he wanted them to help themselves and to make the decision between right and wrong for themselves. When Richard points out that if Jacob doesn't step in, the man in black will, this intrigues Jacob, who then offers Richard a job as his intermediary. Richard would be the the one to interact with the people Jacob brings to the island.

Richard asks what he'll get in return for doing the job. He first asks for Isabella back and Jacob says he can't do that. Then Richard asks for his sins to be absolved so he won't go to hell, but Jacob says the can't do that either. Finally, Richard says that he never wants to die, he wants to live forever. Jacob says he can do that, and touches Richard on the shoulder.

So this scene was possibly the biggest mythological reveal to date. We get an explanation of the island's possible purpose from someone who would actually know. The question is, what happens when the cork is not in the bottle and the evil escapes? What consequences would there be? And how does the island act as said cork? What force is it that keeps the evil on the island?

We also see the moment where Richard became the ageless go-between we've come to know. It's surprising that he asked to live forever rather than Jacob giving him the gift on his own.

Jacob kicks Richard's ass, dunks him in the ocean

Richard makes his way to the beach and sees the what remains of the Taweret statue. There is just the foot left as we've seen in the present, and there are broken pieces in the water and on land right around  the foot. Richard takes out the dagger and approaches the statute. He sees the entrance open, but is suddenly punched by Jacob.

Jacob beats him down and takes the dagger. He asks Richard who gave him the dagger, and Richard asks where Isabella is. When Richard reveals that Isabella is dead, Jacob asks if he met a man dressed in black. Richard confirms that he did and says that he told him that Jacob was the devil and that he needed to kill him to see Isabella again. Jacob tells Richard that it wasn't really Isabella and that he is not dead and the island is not hell.

Jacob grabs Richard and forces him under the water numerous times, repeatedly asking if he still thinks he's dead. Richard finally says that Jacob should stop because he wants to live. Jacob then stops and says that they need to talk.

So Jacob's line of questioning here seems to insinuate that this may be the first time the man in black has tried to kill him. We also see Jacob hostile and angry for the first time. It's a long way from his mellow, somewhat zen persona we've seen in the later years of his life.

Man in black gives RIchard the dagger, wants him to kill 'the devil' (Jacob)

The man in black gives Richard some roasted boar which he quickly gobbles up. He tells Richard that once he's done eating, he should head west and once he reaches the ocean, he'll be able to see the statue that broke into pieces when the Black Rock smashed through it. He says that is where he'll find the devil (Jacob).

The man in black hands Richard a dagger which appears to be the same one Dogen gave Sayid. He then tells him to kill Jacob before he has a chance to speak because he's very persuasive. These are essentially the same instructions Dogen gave Sayid about killing Locke (the man in black).

The man in black tells Richard that he is the black smoke, but that Jacob took Isabella and he couldn't stop him. He tells him that Jacob took his body and his humanity and rebuts all of Richard's objections by asking him if he ever wants to see Isabella again. Richard takes the dagger and the man in black leaves.

So most of what the man in black says seems like lies to get people to do what he wants and that certainly seems to be the case here. He brings up Isabella over and over again. Much like when Ben lied though, I'd imagine there are bits of truth sprinkled throughout the lies.

The man in black releases Richard from his chains

As Richard lies passed out on the floor of the Black Rock, the man in black enters the ship (he is in the form we saw him in "The Incident" talking to Jacob). He touches Richard on the shoulder, which causes him to wake up shocked.

The man in black gives Richard some water and Richard asks him he is in hell. The man in black says that they are in hell and that he's been on the island long before the Black Rock crashed there.

Richard asks about his wife and the man in black says that "he" must have her, implying Jacob. He says that he'll help Richard and set him free from the chains as long as he agrees to do anything he asks. Richard agrees to the deal.

After releasing him from the chains, the man in black says "It's good to see you out of those chains," the same thing he said to Richard as Locke in "LA X." Then he says that if they are going to escape from hell (the island), they'll have to kill the devil (Jacob).

So how long before the Black Rock crashed did the man in black become trapped on the island and is this his original human form? It seems that even in the 1800s, he was still a master manipulator.

Isabella appears to Richard on the Black Rock, smoke monster 'grabs' her + the boar

Chained inside the Black Rock, Richard struggles to loosen a floorboard. It starts raining and he struggles to reach some water to drink, but can't reach it. Later he manages to remove the nail from the floorboard and begins to chip away at the wall where the chains are attached.

Later, Richard wakes up to the sound of a boar nibbling away at one of the bodies. As the board charges at him, he drops the nail just out of reach.

Richard passes out again, and is later awoken by the sound of Isabella's voice. She comes over to him and tells him that hey are both dead and in hell. She says she is there to save him from the devil. Suddenly, they hear the sounds of the smoke monster. Richard tells her to run away and when she heads up to the deck, she lets out a blood curdling scream. Richard calls for her, weeps and falls to his knees.

So here's the big question. Was Isabella the smoke monster? It would seem so because she is dead, but can the smoke monster be her but also appear to be above the ship, essentially in two places at the same time?

The smoke monster kills Whitfield & other officers but spares Richard

The Black Rock is sitting in the jungle during the day. Richard and Ignacio wake up and hear the officers above. One says that Captain Hanso is dead. They call up to the deck for help and Jonas Whitfield comes down.

Instead of helping them, Whitfield kills three of the surviving slaves, including Ignacio. He says that only five officers have survived and they have limited supplies and fresh water. As he's about to kill Richard, Whitfield says that if he doesn't kill him, it'll only be a matter of time before Richard kills him.

Suddenly, we hear the familiar sound of the smoke monster, who ravages the officers on deck. In burst through the ship and grabs Whitfield before slowly sliding back into the ship. It creeps up to Richard and does it's little flashing snapshots, much like it did to Juliet in the season 3 episode "Left Behind." When Richard opens his eyes, he finds that the smoke monster has silently disappeared.

So why at this point does the smoke monster kill everyone but Richard, but in the future, it seems to let a lot more people live? Is it because Jacob's plan and the rules involved have yet to completely evolve, or was Richard specially selected by Jacob for a purpose?

The Black Rock crashes into Taweret statue on the island

The Black Rock is tossed about in the ocean by a nasty storm. Richard and another slave passenger named Ignacio are struggling to avoid being tossed about themselves. Ignacio looks through a hole in the ship and sees the island. Then he also sees the statue of Taweret (the four-toed statue) which he says is the devil that is guarding the island. Richard cowers in a corner, clutching the gold cross as a giant wave propels the Black Rock into the head of the statue.

So we finally learn how exactly Richard came to be on the island and why only the foot of the statue was left, all in one short scene. Truly awesome.

Father Suarez sells Richard to Jonas Whitfield

At the jail, Richard looks out the window at the nooses hanging from the gallows where he is to be hanged. Then Father Suarez enters and tells the guards to blindfold Richard. As he is marched through the corridor, Richard says "Lord, please, forgive my sins, I'm penitent and regretful."

They are stopped by Jonas Whitfield who examines Richard's mouth and asks if he speaks English. At first, Richard does not respond, but when they start to carry him away to be hanged, Richard speaks up. When asked what work he did, Richard says he worked in the fields. Whitfield says that he is going to take him to the New World. He gives Father Suarez a bag of coins and says that Richard is now the property of Captain Magnus Hanso.

So Richard barely escapes death thanks to a very corrupt priest and ends up owned by Magnus Hanso who owns the Black Rock. There's a lot more to come.

Richard is in jail, Father Suarez denies forgiveness after confession

We next see Richard in a jail cell reading a Bible. A priest named Father Suarez enters and brings him some food. Suarez asks to see his Bible and then realizes that it is in English. Richard reveals that he has been teaching himself English and he and Isabella were planning to travel to the New World to start a family and a new life.

Father Suarez then asks for Richard's confession. Richard confesses to killing the doctor and asks for forgiveness, but Suarez refuses to grant him absolution. Richard declares that the incident was an accident, but the Father says that it was not. He continues saying the only way to return to grace is through penance, which Richard does not have time for because he is going to be hanged. Father Suarez ends with "I'm afraid the devil awaits you in hell."

It's an interesting bit of info that Richard was planning to go to America. We can see in the scene that Richard is wearing Isabella's gold cross which is important throughout this episode. We also start to see why Richard calls the island hell, because he was supposed to end up in hell according to the priest.

Richard returns home to find that Isabella is dead

Richard returns to his home to find that Isabella has died. She had a bible across her midsection when she died. Richard weeps over her body and then a constable (a law enforcement person) barges through the door.

Richard accidentally kills doctor, gets medicine for Isabella

Richard rides through the rain in the night until he reaches the doctor's house. Richard enters the house against the wishes of the servant. The doctor is sitting at a table eating and refuses to go see Richard's wife because they live near El Socorro, which is a half day journey away.

The doctor says that he has medicine that will help though, but it is expensive. He goes to the cabinet to get the medicine, but then realizes that Richard does not have enough money. Richard offers him Isabella's gold cross and tells him "now you have everything." The doctor throws it on the ground as says that it is worthless. Richard grabs it from the floor and begs the doctor for help.

They struggle as Richard grabs the medicine and he pushes the doctor who hits his head on the table. As the doctor bleeds on the floor, Richard panics and runs out of the house with the medicine past the servant.

So we see here, that Richard is another person who came to the island with a dark past. He is another person that Jacob hopes will show the man in black that all people are not corruptible once they are given a fresh start. Later in the episode, we see that struggle pull Richard between dark and light.

Richard in Tenerife, Canary Islands, 1867, Isabella is very sick

In Richard's first official flashback, we are taken to Spanish island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands in the year 1867. He is riding a horse to his modest home where is wife Isabella is.

When he enters his home, his wife Isabella is sick in bed. He dampens a cloth to cool her head and when she coughs on the cloth, he sees blood on it. He tells her that he's going to get a doctor and he'll be back before dawn.

Richard gathers all the coins they have and says that he hopes it will be enough. Isabella takes the necklace from around her neck with a cross and tells him to give it to the doctor. Richard resists, but takes it. She tells him to closes his eyes and that they will always be together. He kisses her cheek and tells her "I will save you," then leaves.

Isabella telling him to close his eyes will be revisited and will be pivotal later in the episode when Hurley is talking to Richard.

Richard tells everyone the island is hell, Hurley talks to Isabella

Around a campfire on the beach, there is a discussion about how Sun, Hurley and Jack are each candidates for Jacob's job. Ilana says that Richard knows what to do next, but he just laughs. Richard says that he doesn't know what to do and that everything Jacob ever said was a lie.

Richard then tells everyone that they're all dead and that the island is hell. He says that he's going to start listening to someone other than Jacob and takes a torch into the jungle.

Sun then informs Jack that Richard is going to join Locke. This is the first time that Jack hears that "Locke" is "alive" on the island, though Ben tells him that it's not really Locke.

Jack then sees Ben speaking to an invisible person in Spanish that we later learn in Richard's late wife Isabella. Translated, we can hear him say "Why? I don't know. Yes, I can help you, but... I don't know how to find him." Jack comes over thinking Hurley is talking to Jacob, but Hurley informs him that his conversation has nothing to do with Jack.

Then Frank is the probably about the last person to learn that Richard doesn't age and he sets up the flashback saying "And how the hell do you think that happened?"

Ilana gets her instructions from Jacob, is healed

In the opening scene of "Ab Aeterno," we see the continuation of Ilana and Jacob's scene in the hospital from the season five finale, "The Incident."Jacob asks her to protect six people who are the remaining candidates. He says that this is what she's been preparing for.

After it cuts away, we come back and Ilana's face is almost fully healed and she's sitting on the hospital bed next to Jacob. She asks what she should do after she takes the candidates to the temple. He tells her to ask Richardus (Richard).

So how much time passes between when Jacob showed up at Ilana's bedside and when she was healed towards the end? Jacob most likely healed her, but it's not confirmed.