Jacob passes protectorship to Jack by blessing water

Jacob leads Jack down to a creek as Sawyer, Kate and Hurley watch from a distance. Sawyer cracks a joke saying "And I thought that guy had a God complex before." Kate says "James" in a scolding tone and he says "I know." Hurley says "I'm glad it's just not me."

By the creek, Jacob tells Jack that over the ridge at the bamboo field where he first woke up on the island, that's where the heart of the island is, which he needs to protect from Locke. Jack says that there's nothing past the bamboo, but Jacob says that there is and he'll now be able to find it.

Jacob then asks Jack if he has a cup and Jack gets one from his bag. Jacob reaches into the water and pulls some out, saying in Latin as he does so "Nam non accipimus hoc quasi vulgarem potionem, sed ut ille sit quasi unus mecum," which means "Because we don't accept this as a simple potion, but so that he shall be as one with me." He releases the water back into the creek, puts some into the cup and gives it to Jack to drink. Jack asks how long he will have to do the job, and Jacob says as long as he can. Jack drinks all the water in the cup and then Jacob puts his hand on his shoulder and says "Now you're like me."

The ritual mirrors the passing of power from Mother to Jacob that we saw in "Across the Sea." It's interesting that the light (or the source or heart of the island) is only able to be found by the protector, but it's so close from where Jack's island story began.

Jacob tells the Losties why he chose them, Jack accepts the role of protector

Around the fire, Hurley, Kate, Jack and Sawyer sit across from Jacob. Hurley asks Jacob why he brought them to the island. Jacob says that he brought them there because he made a mistake, accidentally creating the smoke monster, which could lead to the deaths of all of them and everyone they care about. He says that monster has been trying to find a way to kill him for a long time, so he brought them all there because he would need someone to replace him once the monster succeeded.

Sawyer pipes up and asks why they have to be punished for Jacob's mistake, saying that he was doing fine before he was brought to the island. Jacob says that none of them were plucked from a happy existence. He says that he chose them all because they were flawed and alone like he is. He adds that they all needed the island as much as the island needed them.

Kate then asks why her named was crossed off of the cave wall. Jacob says it was because she became a mother, but adds that it's just a line of chalk in a cave and the job is hers if she wants it. Jack asks what the job is, and Jacob says that the job is to protect a light at the center of the island by making sure it never goes out.

When Sawyer says that the smoke monster (Locke) said that the island doesn't need protecting, Jacob says that it has to be protected from the monster. Jacob adds that they have to do what he could never do, and Jack jumps in asking "You want us to kill him?" and if that's even possible. Jacob says that he hopes they can find a way to kill the monster, because he's certainly going to try and kill them.

Hurley then asks Jacob how he's going to pick, and Jacob says that he's not going to. He adds that he's going to give them what he never had, and that's a choice. Kate then asks what happens if no one takes the job, and Jacob says that "Then this ends very badly." Jack steps forward and says that he'll do it, adding that this is what he's supposed to do. Jacob asks him if that was a question and Jack says "no." Jacob says "Good... then it's time."

This was easily one of the most satisfying scenes of the series. We finally learn why Jacob chose who he brought to the island and he gets to tell the remaining candidates directly. Simply awesome.

Jack, Kate & Sawyer meet Jacob

Hurley leads Jack, Kate and Sawyer to the campfire where Jacob is waiting for them. Jacob says hello to each of them and Hurley starts to tell everyone what Jacob said until Jack points out that he heard him. Sawyer and Kate confirm that they can see him too.

Kate gets angry and asks if Jacob's the one who wrote the names on the wall including Sayid, Sun and Jin. He confirms that he is and then Kate asks if that's why they're all dead. Jacob says "I'm sorry," and then Kate demands to know that they didn't die for nothing.

Jacob tells them to come sit down and he'll tell them what they died for and why he chose all of them. He then says that once the fire burns out, one of them will have to take over as protector of the island. Kate and Sawyer look skeptical, Hurley looks worried and Jack looks ready to go. We'll continue with their fireside chat a little later.

Young Jacob takes ashes from Hurley, leads him to older Jacob + Sawyer copes with death

As the group makes their way towards the well to find Desmond, Sawyer asks Jack why Locke wouldn't kill Desmond himself if he wanted him dead. Jack says that it may be one of the rules. That leads Sawyer return to what Jack said on the submarine about Locke not being able to kill them and then asks if he kill "them," meaning Sun, Jin and Sayid. Jack says that he has been wrong before, in an attempt to console Sawyer and then says that Locke was the one who killed them.

Hurley and Kate are lagging behind a bit, when Hurley suddenly stops as he sees young Jacob standing near-by. Kate continues on and then young Jacob appears right behind Hurley and demands the ashes that he took from Ilana's things. When Hurley asks why, Jacob says that they are his.

Jacob snatches the ashes and runs away. Hurley follows for a short distance, before he comes across the Jacob in his older form, sitting next to a fire. Hurley asks Jacob where he's been and Jacob says that it doesn't matter. Hurley then asks if he saw a kid run by with his ashes. Jacob says that the ashes are in the fire and once it goes out, he will never be seen again. He then tells Hurley to get his friends because "We’re very close to the end."

It's interesting that Jacob seems to be able to appear as himself at different ages since he is dead and that he will cease to be after his remains are gone. This might explain why Ilana knew to take the ashes. They were not for protection, but to keep Jacob alive long enough for a candidate to step forward.

Jacob lays Mother & MIB's bodies to rest at the caves, they are Adam & Eve

Jacob makes his way through the jungle to a stream and washes up. He looks up and sees the lifeless body of his brother on some rocks. Jacob weeps over the body, then picks it up and carries it to the cave.

Jacob lays MIB's body where they slept as children. He then goes to Mother's body and picks up the black and white stones and places them in a pouch. We cut away and see Jack and Kate discovering the pouch of rocks in season 1 with the "Adam and Eve" skeletons.

Jacob then closes Mother's eyes, picks her up and lays her next to MIB's body. We again cutaway to season 1 and Kate asks who the Adam and Eve skeletons are and where did they come from. Jacob then joins Mother and MIB's hands, kisses the pouch containing the stones and places it in MIB's other hand. We cut away again and see Locke calling the skeletons "Our very own Adam and Eve."

We then see Jacob looking over the bodies, still crying, and he says "Goodbye brother."

This was one of the biggest reveals of the series. While the clips from the season 1 episode "House of the Rising Sun" hit us over the head a bit with the significance of the Adam and Eve reveal, it did show us how far the story and these characters have come since Oceanic 815 crashed on the island.

With MIB's body being discovered by the creek indicates he is no longer human, but he still has the same goal of leaving the island. What would happen if this creature gets off the island?

Jacob throws MIB into The Source/The Light, turns MIB into smoke monster

After pummeling the Man In Black at the caves after he killed Mother, Jacob drags MIB through the jungle towards The Source (the tunnel of light/the heart of the island). MIB pleads with Jacob asking him not kill him and explains that she burned his people. Jacob says that he's not going to kill him.

They reach the stream leading to the light and Jacob tosses MIB into the shallow water. MIB looks up at the light and says "She brought you back here?" Jacob says yes because he is now responsible for protecting it. He picks MIB up by the neck and says "You want to find the light? You want to leave this place, brother? Then go."

Jacob then throws MIB into the deeper water and MIB hits his head slams into a rock before floating into the light. Jacob watches as MIB floats into the tunnel and then goes over the edge of the waterfall. Moments later, the ground starts rumbling, the the tunnel gets a little darker and hazy and the tell-tale sounds of the smoke monster can be heard.

The smoke monster comes storming out of the tunnel, knocking Jacob backwards. Jacob stares up in awe as the monster quickly disappears into the jungle.

So this is the origin of the smoke monster. Jacob is the cause of it, and if he hadn't thrown MIB into The Source, a lot of pain and misery for many people could have possibly been avoided. In other words, Jacob's trying to punish MIB for killing mother, ended up making him the powerful creature that he is.

MIB wrecks the caves, stabs & kills Mother, Jacob pummels MIB

As Mother and Jacob make their way back towards the caves, Jacob says that there is a storm coming. She tells him to go gets some firewood before it rains and tells him to be careful. Jacob says that he'll see her back at home and leaves, but clearly seems to Mother know they won't see each other again.

As Mother returns to the cave, she finds that it has ben ransacked, including the tapestry which is ruined. She discovers the Man In Black's Senet game on ground and removes a black and white stone from inside. As she examines the black stone, MIB plunges the dagger through her back and she falls to the ground.

MIB leans over her body and asks why she wouldn't let him leave and she says "Because I... I love you." She then says "Thank you" as she dies. He weeps over her body and then sees that Jacob has returned.

Jacob repeatedly asks MIB what he did and then leaps forward and attacks him, much like he did as a teenager. After pummeling him in the face he finally stops. We'll pick this up in the next post.

So Mother seems to have the same feeling about her death as Jacob did when Ben stabbed him. They both didn't fight their deaths and Mother even thanked MIB. Why is that? Is it just their time to move on after thousands of years of performing their job?

Mother takes Jacob to The Source/The Light, passes her job on to him

Mother returns to the caves at night where Jacob is sleeping. She wakes him and tells him "It's time." She leads him through the jungle and as they're walking Jacob says that "Something happened, didn't it?" She tells him that she had to let MIB go because she doesn't have a choice and it's what he wants.

As they reach a stream, she asks him if he recognizes where they are and he does. It's the stream that leads to The Source, the tunnel of light. She passes Jacob the torch, literally, and tells him that he must protect The Source now.

Jacob asks what's in the tunnel and Mother says that it's life, death and rebirth, the heart of the island. She tells him to never go down there because what will happen would be much worse than death.

Mother then pulls out the bottle of wine (the same one from "Ab Aeterno") and a cup. She chants in Latin was has been deciphered as "Nam non accipimus hoc quasi vulgarem potionem, sed ut ille sit quasi unus mecum." That roughly means "For we do not accept this just as a common drink, but as if that (he?) should be one with me."

She pours some wine into the cup and tells Jacob to Drink. She says that if he drinks, he accepts the responsibility of protecting the island as long as he can, and then he'll have to find his replacement. Jacob says that he doesn't want to protect the island. She says that someone has to and Jacob says that he doesn't care. She says that her time is over and it has to be Jacob that takes over.

Jacob gets emotional and says that he doesn't have to be him because she wanted it to be MIB, and now "I’m all you have." Mother says that it was always supposed to be Jacob and she sees that now and one day he will too. She adds that the doesn't really have a choice though, so he must take the cup and drink.

Jacob reluctantly takes the cup and drinks. Mother then takes his hand and says "Now, you and I... are the same."

So we see that Mother essentially forces Jacob to take the role of protector of the island. She says that he doesn't have a choice, which likely led to Jacob's view that everything is a choice, which he told Hurley in the back of the cab in "The Incident." Jacob has always seemed to push people in a certain direction, but never forces them to do anything. Jacob seems to do many things differently as the protector of the island.

MIB shows Mother his path to the light, the donkey wheel, she knocks him out

Jacob returns to the caves and Mother asks where he was. He says that she knows and she asks what the Man In Black said to him. Jacob tells her than MIB finally found a way to leave the island. Mother looks terrified.

Mother makes her way across the island to the work site of well. She watches intently as the men and women pack up and leave. She then heads down into the well.

Down there, we see MIB standing over a fire and we he hears something, he turns quickly wielding the dagger. We he sees that it's Mother, he puts it back on his belt. He has her how she is and Mother says that she's worried. He says that she should be and that he spent 30 years covering the entire island looking for the source of the light at the tunnel she took them to as a child, but could never find it. But then he says he figured out that he could get to the light from another place on the island an finding that place took a long time.

Mother worriedly asks if his people saw this too and he says yes and that they have interesting ideas about what to do with it. She starts to say that he has no idea about something but he interrupts her saying that he has no idea because she wouldn't tell him.

MIB then uses a tool to pull a small stone from the wall behind him revealing a beam of bright, yellow light. Mother then notices a large wheel leaning against the wall and asks what it is (it is the infamous wheel that was frozen when both Ben and Locke turned it). MIB says that they are going to cut a larger hole into the wall and attach the wheel to a system they are building. The system will channel the water and light, so when he turns it, he will be able to leave the island.

Mother asks him how he knows this and he says that he knows because he's special. She begs him not to go, but he says he has to because he doesn't belong there. Mother says that this is goodbye then as she steps towards him and embraces him. During the hug, MIB seems content and  tells Mother goodbye. Mother releases him, grasping his face like she did when he was a child. She says "I'm sorry" as she slams him against the wall, knocking him out.

Geez. There's so much here. There is the origin of the frozen donkey wheel and a vague description of how it is intended to function. We learn that the light we saw in the tunnel earlier is the same as is found in pockets across the island. We also learn that MIB seems in tune with the island on an amplified level that he is able to deduct intricate things about's function. We also see that mother is afraid of any humans learning about the light, which we'll see the results of in a later post. Heavy, heavy stuff.

MIB is visited by Jacob, shows him magnetism at a well, tells him people are bad

When we return for Act 4 of the episode, we jump forward 30 years and we see Jacob as an adult at the caves working on a tapestry. Mother sits close by pressing something in a mortar with a pestle. She seems distant as Jacob turns to her and asks her what she thinks of his tapestry. She says that it's nice, and when he asks is she is alright, she says she's just tired.

It then cuts to a work site on another part of the island, where the other people are working on a well including the Man In Black (this is the same well that Locke fell down in season 5 to leave the island that is near the future sight of the Orchid Station). Jacob watches the site from a distance and Man In Black sees him.

Later, after the workers have gone, Jacob and MIB sit nearby playing the same Senet game from their teenage years. As the play, MIB asks Jacob if Mother knows that he visits him, and Jacob says that she never asks about him. MIB bitterly says that he's sorry he asked about her then.

He then asks Jacob why he watches his people and Jacob says that he wants to see if Mother was right about them being bad. MIB says that Mother may be insane, but she was right about the people being bad. Jacob says that they seem fine, but MIB says that's easy to say when you just watch them from a distance. He adds that after 30 years of living among them, he's learned that they are "greedy, manipulative, untrustworthy and selfish."

Jacob asks why he's with them then and MIB says they are means for him to get off of the island and they've found a way. Jacob says that is impossible because there's no way off of the island.

MIB pulls the dagger from his belt (the same one MIB gave Richard and Dogen gave Sayid) and throws it at towards the well. The dagger curves and sticks to side of the well. Jacob goes to the well and pulls the dagger from it. MIB tells him that there are smart men among his people who are curious about how thing work. He says that they have found sites all over the island where metal acts strangely and when they find these sites, they dig. He says at this site, they found something and asks Jacob to come with him.

MIB asks Jacob what he's going to do when Mother dies, and Jacob says she'll never die. MIB says that everything dies. Jacob emotionally says that he doesn't want to leave the island because it is his home. MIB replies "Well, it’s not mine."

Like so many scenes in this episode, this one is quite heavy. We see and hear about the digging of the wells, which Locke told Desmond about before pushing him down one. We see debate start about all men being bad and corruptible versus them having the potential for good (MIB's position versus Jacob's). There's certainly a lot to download and absorb.

It also seems that Mother may know that something bad is coming by the way she's acting at the caves. It's not likely that we'll ever know the full extent of the powers and abilities that the island's protectors have.

Jacob feels less loved that MIB, agrees to stay with Mother

As Mother sits on the beach alone and Jacob joins her. Jacbo asks her if she thinks the Man In Black will come back, and she says no. When Jacob asks if it's true that she killed his real mother, she says yes. Mother explains that she killed Claudia so that she wouldn't take Jacob back to her people because they are bad and would have made him bad too.

Mother adds that she needs Jacob to stay good. Jacob asks "Am I good, Mother?" and she tells him yes. He then asks why she loves MIB more than him. She says that she loves them in different ways and then asks if she will stay with him. Jacob says yes, but as she leans on his shoulder, he adds "For a while."

So why is it that Mother doesn't love both of her "sons" the same? What made MIB more important, or special than Jacob? This was certainly a tense scene where it becomes clear that Mother is more concerned with the well-being of her own agenda rather than the well-being of her "sons."

MIB is beaten up by Jacob after revealing the truth, leaves for the other camp

As Mother lays sleeping at the caves at night, Man In Black sneaks in and goes to where Jacob is sleeping. He wakes Jacob up and tells him to come with him.

A short distance into the jungle, MIB reveals that he has all of their things and they are going to leave and never come back. MIB reveals that they are going to the other people on the island because they are their people. Jacob strongly objects, reminding him of what Mother told them about the people. MIB tells him that Mother lied about everything and Jacob has to go with him because he doesn't want to go alone.

The argument gets more heated as MIB says that Mother doesn't love them and she's not even their mother. With that, Jacob snaps and tackles MIB, repeatedly punching him in the face. Mother shows up and Jacob stops, leaving MIB's face bloody.

Jacob tells Mother that MIB is leaving to go to the other people. MIB stands, spits the blood from his mouth and says that he knows now that there is another place across the sea that is where he's from. He says he's going to go home. Mother asks who told him that and he says his mother, Claudia, told him.

MIB says that Mother killed Claudia, who was Jacob's mother too. He asks Jacob again to come with him and Jacob says "no." Mother stops MIB and says that no matter what he's been told, he'll never be able to leave the island. MIB picks up his bag and heads into the jungle towards the people.

Why is it that at this point in his life, Mother is saying that MIB can't leave the island? She said they couldn't hurt each other, but Jacob beat up MIB, so does this mean she's lying about a lot of things? Either way, MIB picked his destiny early in life and is on the path that he'll follow for many, many years.

Claudia shows MIB the people he came from, tells him who he is

Jacob and Man In Black are hanging out by some trees playing the Senet game. Jacob makes a move and MIB tells him that he can't do it because it's against the rules. Jacob says that MIB made the rules though. MIB responds saying "One day, you can make up your own game and everyone else will have to follow your rules." That seems to be what happened for the next few thousand years or so.

Suddenly, MIB looks up and sees Claudia standing in a pool of light. She says "It's alright, don't be afraid." Jacob turns to see what he's looking at and sees nothing. MIB is stunned and gets up and leaves Jacob, telling him that he'll meet him later.

Moments later in the jungle, MIB finds Claudia standing in a pool of light again. He asks her why Jacob couldn't see her and she tells him that it's because she's dead. She asks him to come with her so she can show him where he came from, which is a place across the island he has never seen.

MIB follows her across the island to a hill overlooking a village of people living in grass huts who are active performing various daily activities. MIB asks Claudia who they are and she tells him that they came to the island 13 years ago, the day before MIB was born. She says their ship wrecked here during a storm, and MIB asks what a ship is. She explains that it is something people use to get from one place to another and that his people came from across the sea. MIB objects, saying that's not true, since we saw earlier Mother told him that there was nothing across the sea.

Claudia reveals to him that she is his real mother and you can see anguish, but mostly anger come across MIB's face.

It's interesting that MIB, prior to becoming the smoke monster, is able to see the dead on the island. Is he like Hurley and can just see and talk to the dead or is it possible that Claudia is an earlier incarnation of the monster MIB later becomes? Either way, learning the truth about himself sets MIB on a path that he'll continue to follow for thousands of years.

Mother takes Jacob & MIB to the cave of light, the manifestation of life, death & rebirth

As Mother tends to her garden, Jacob and the Man In Black run back to tell her about the men they saw who killed a boar. Jacob asked her where they came from and says they look like them. She says that they're not like them and they don't belong there because she and boys are there for a reason. MIB asks her what the reason is that they are there, and she says it's not time, but he repeats his question more emphatically.

Not long later, we see Mother leading the boys who are blindfolded through the jungle. MIB asks her if she knew about the people, and she says yes. He asks why she didn't tell them about the people and she says because they are dangerous and she didn't want to frighten the boys. When Jacob asks what makes them dangerous she says "the same thing that makes all men dangerous" Then we hear her repeat MIB's line from "The Incident," which is "They come, they fight, they destroy, they corrupt... and it always ends the same."

When MIB then asks where the people came from, she lies and says from another part of the island. She says that they can never go looking for them because if they found them, the people would hurt them. We Jacob asks why the would hurt them, Mother says that it's because they are human and that's what they do.

MIB says that they are people too, and asks if that means they can hurt each other. Mother removes their blindfolds and tells them that she has made it so they can never hurt each other.

Mother turns the boys around where they can see a stream of water flowing into a tunnel with a bright, glowing, yellow light. She tells them that this is the reason they are here. As the boys approach the tunnel, she tells them not to go in.

She says that the light inside is the warmest, brightest light they've ever seen or felt and they must make sure that no one ever finds it. She says that there is a little bit of this light inside of every man, but they always want more. She says that no one could take it, but if someone tried to, they could put it out. She adds if the light goes out there, that it goes out everywhere. She says that she has protected this place, but she can't do it forever, and one day, either Jacob or MIB will have to do it.

Whew. That was a heavy scene. So we a general idea of what is being protected on the island and that it can be accessed from this secret location. This poses a lot of questions that there is not time to answer, but has any unauthorized person every accessed this location during their time on the island? What will happen if this light goes out? Something tells me that this location may have something to do with why Desmond was brought back to the island.

Jacob & MIB discover men on the island while chasing a boar

Jacob and MIB are franticly chasing a small boar through the jungle. After a few moments, they hear the boar squeal in pain and MIB tell Jacob to hide. They duck under some plants and watch as three men descend upon the boar. Jacob asks who are they and MIB tells him to be quiet. They are both shocked to see the men, but MIB is clearly more interested.

Mother tell MIB there is nothing across the sea, Jacob doesn't know how to lie

At the caves, Mother is working on a tapestry as Jacob returns (we see where he got his knack for tapestries). She asks him where his brother is and he tells her he is at the beach, staring out at the ocean. Mother looks at Jacob suspiciously. Jacob asks if he can help her and she tells him to sort some thread.

Mother asks what Jacob and MIB were doing at the beach. Jacob hesitates, and then says they were just walking. She turns to him and asks "Do you love me Jacob?" He says yes and then she asks him to tell her what happened.

We then see MIB sitting at the beach, looking at a sea turtle. Mother approaches, sits down with him and smiles. MIB realizes that Jacob told her about the Senet game he found. Mother says that Jacob does not know how to lie because he is not like MIB. He asks what is he like and she tells him that he's special.

He then asks if he can keep the game and she says of course and that she left it there for him. Presumably, this is a lie because she doesn't want him to know that there is a world beyond the island. She asks where else could it have come from, and he says from somewhere else, across the sea. Mother says that there is nowhere else and the island is all there is.

MIB asks where did they come from then, and Mother says that he and Jacob came from her and she came from her mother. He asks where her mother is and she says that her mother is dead. MIB asks what dead is and she tells him that it's something he'll never have to worry about.

So clearly, we see that Mother certainly has more in common with MIB than Jacob. She is manipulative and certainly knows how to lie, but is she truly crazy like Locke said earlier this season? I guess it's subjective.

Man (or boy) In Black finds Senet game on beach, convinces Jacob to play

As a young Man In Black walks along the beach, he discovers a game on the beach. The game is Senet is believed to be the oldest board game in the world, originating in ancient Egypt as far back as 3,100 B.C.

As he picks up the game, he looks out at the sea, or "Across the Sea." He goes and sits on a log and begins to set up the game with black and white stones. Young Jacob approaches him and asks what he has. MIB explains that it's a game that you play, and when Jacob asks how he knows how to play, MIB says "I just know."

MIB makes Jacob promise not to tell Mother about the game because he thinks she'll take it away. Jacob looks a the white piece and when MIB asks if he wants to play, Jacob says yes.

So this is certainly very similar to Locke's backgammon game in season 1. Senet is considered to be a precursor to backgammon. The game also gives us a general idea of when all of this is taking place. It would certainly seem to be sometime before the birth of Christ (B.C.), meaning that Jacob and MIB have been on the island for at least 2,000 years, if not quite a bit longer.

You'll also notice that one of the symbols on one of the squares is an ankh, the symbol we've seen a number of times, most notably this season when it was revealed that it was what was in the guitar case Hurley had been carrying.