Great review, Locke owns like no other. Does anyone think that Jacob actually had anything to do with the shack shaking madly? The only thing that makes me suspicious is that Ben yells for Jacob to stop shaking the shack, yet Ben knows he can't communicate with Jacob as we learn later.

I wouldn't put it past Ben to have set up the whole thing, but there is that one shot of someone sitting in the previously empty chair that makes me think that the whole Jacob thing is real.



I don't know how that's possible, but I hope they tell us.



Thanks for the comment, manzy704!

I think it's very possible that it WAS Jacob shaking that shack. I think it's possible that Jacob didn't speak to Locke, that he may have never opened his mouth at all. I think Jacob may be powerfully psychic, and the "powder ring" around the shack is some sort of magic barrier to keep him in.



Also, if this proves correct, I believe Jacob's powerful brain may be preventing communication, and may be responsible for anything from the increased healing to the appearance of dead relatives. It's possible anyhow.



Great review, as always Pete. And for the record, I pretty much agree with your review this time, not that it ever matters.



Only two full episodes and three more 16 episode seasons left.... Somehow, it feels as if we still have volumes of mythology to learn, no matter how far we've come already.

Thanks for the great comment, Stevo!



In many religions, including wicca and voodoo, there's a belief that you can bind a spirit to one place by surrounding it with a sacred circle. The methods vary, from ground up bone to pure salt, etc. but I believe that is why the writers took time to point it out.



I've also considered that the Hostiles (since they don't seem to age) may have landed on the mysterious island in the Black Rock, and have been living there since. Richard hasn't aged a day, and I'm pretty sure I saw some of the people in the flashback still in the present day Others camp.



This could also explain a lot about their society. For instance, killing your father. Ben had to do it, Locke had to do it (cheater). If no one in your society ever dies (unless killed) it could be a rite of passage that in order to go forward you have to kill the one that came before you (your father).



This may also explain the fertility issues they have. Obviously, if no one ever dies and they can procreate freely, you'd have an overpopulation problem in no time. So how would you fix this? If the mother died at birth, and you killed your father, of course.



It could also just be that everything was fine on the island (relatively) and that the Others are being punished for Ben's actions. Ben's mother died when he was born, and he killed his father, remember? Jacob obviously is trapped there against his will. Is it possible that Ben is the one who trapped him there? Is Ben keeping Jacob prisoner so that he can stay the leader of the Others?



The other thing that this episode opens up is that there were weird things happening on the island waaaay before Dharma even got there. Hopefully, in the next 3 shortened seasons, we'll find out how they originally came to the island, how the original inhabitants got there, more about Jacob, and so on.