Who is Jacob?? I think ive got it figured out!

[shrub19]

Jacob is none other than the never aging Richard Alpert.

Hes the only logical person. He never ages, he always somehow appears in a majority of the flashbacks, especially when it comes to those who are "needed" by the island.

[sugarnuts]

Alpert does seem very likely. One theory iv'e never heard though is, what if Jacob is no one we've seen before.
I dont believe that but just thought id throw it out there. For the record, i think Jacob is Magnus Hanso. Alpert and Hanso might be the same person

[mugatu22]

I'm also of the opinion that Jacob is either Hanso or one of the original founders of the island. It would help tie-in all of the Hanso/Dharma backstory that we've wondered about for 3 seasons now starting in S2. It's someone who knows the island backwards and forwards, and someone who either does not age or is already dead/immortal-ish.

[kylegumby]

Before tonight, if you'd asked me who I thought Jacob was I'd have just shrugged and looked at you funny. After this episode, though, I'm almost (but not quite - you can never be sure of anything, really, when it comes to Lost) convinced that Jacob will turn out to be Locke.


Edit
Though, I have to say - as a very close second, Richard Alpert does make an extremely convincing case for Jacobhood.

[erikau]

Jacob is Hanso, who calls himself Charles Widmore in the future. Widmore is pissed because his star pupil, Ben Linus, learned too well and was able to take away some of his power. Widmore needs to get back now and take back his Island.

[mugatu22]

Originally Posted by kylegumby

I'm almost convinced that Jacob will turn out to be Locke.

How would this work?

[kylegumby]

Honestly? I don't know how it would work. But considering the cyclical elements that have been introduced throughout the show, it seems to me that it fits. I am, very likely, way off base, of course. But it's been a slowly forming idea that clicked into place with last week's episode. The primary elements that pushed the idea over the edge for me, I guess, were Horace's Prometheus/Sisyphus-esque role in the episode and Locke's pow-wow with Christian and Claire in Jacob's cabin. I don't think I can offer anything more concrete than the vague "this is old-hat for Locke" feeling I got from this latest episode. It just seems that he's playing into a role; and, furthermore, it seems like he (and maybe Ben and "Christian" too?) is(are) aware of it.

Call it a gut feeling, I guess.

[sugarnuts]

Originally Posted by erikau

Jacob is Hanso, who calls himself Charles Widmore in the future. Widmore is pissed because his star pupil, Ben Linus, learned too well and was able to take away some of his power. Widmore needs to get back now and take back his Island.

i like this idea. I'm pretty sure Jacob is Magnus Hanso. Widmore could definetley be an alias for Jacob/Hanso. It would explain his obsession with getting 'back' to the island. He did say it was his and Ben took it from him

[kylegumby]

Originally Posted by sugarnuts

i like this idea. I'm pretty sure Jacob is Magnus Hanso. Widmore could definetley be an alias for Jacob/Hanso. It would explain his obsession with getting 'back' to the island. He did say it was his and Ben took it from him

But if this were the case, why would Ben be butting heads with Widmore? Ben seems to take his cues from Jacob, so if Widmore and Jacob were one and the same why would Jacob want Ben to fight Widmore's people? It seems to me that if this were the case, Ben and Widmore would both know that they're on the same team. Unless there's some cosmically-sized misunderstanding.

This, of course, doesn't bar Magnus Hanso from being Jacob. I just find the explanation a little too cut-and-dry for the show.

[sugarnuts]

Originally Posted by kylegumby

But if this were the case, why would Ben be butting heads with Widmore? Ben seems to take his cues from Jacob, so if Widmore and Jacob were one and the same why would Jacob want Ben to fight Widmore's people? It seems to me that if this were the case, Ben and Widmore would both know that they're on the same team. Unless there's some cosmically-sized misunderstanding.

This, of course, doesn't bar Magnus Hanso from being Jacob. I just find the explanation a little too cut-and-dry for the show.

We have seen no verbal communication between Ben and Jacob, in fact, we have only heard jacob say two words "Help me", and he said this to Locke.
Why, i wonder would Jacob ask Locke for help, and say it so ben couldn't hear? Furthermore, why would ben shoot Locke because Jacob asked him for help. it would appear that ben is holding Jacob prisoner or they are at least at odds with each other. Why do you say Jacob wants ben to fight the freighter people? Ben wants to fight them because they are searching for HIM, no one but him. He is the main objective.

I'm not saying Widmore is Jacob, I think Magnus is Jacob but i think Erikau brought up a good point, mentioning that all three could be one.