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From Lostpedia Theory Policy: "A theory is an attempt to explain a certain mystery using logic backed up with logically consistent observations and facts. Without supporting evidence, statements are merely speculation. Speculation is similar to theories except there are no facts or logic to back the theory up." - This is a theory page, not a speculation page. Speculation without supporting evidence can be deleted. To respond to a theory, use the discussion page. Feel free to add supporting evidence to an existing theory.

Personality

• Ben and Mikhail describe Jacob as "a great man."
• Ben also describes him to Locke as not a "forgiving" person.
• When Locke turns on the flashlight in the cabin, Ben implies that Jacob starts to shake the cabin and break things to scare Ben and Locke for his own amusement.
• He doesn't like technology.

Actions

• As we see in Cabin Fever, he can leave the cabin.
  • Not necessarily. Christian does not deny that Jacob is present. Locke never asks where he is. Jacob may only be fluent in the "whispering tongue" require an interpreter.
• Apparently the apparition of Christian Shephard can "speak on his behalf".
• He talks, but only to some people (e.g. Locke), and only directly into their minds, apparently so others (e.g. Ben) cannot hear what he says.
• According to Ben, Jacob makes lists of "good" and "bad" people, but to date, we have only seen Ben collect information about who is good and bad through Mikhail. Furthermore, Locke described a more democratic process to Kate that the Others had carried out to decide if a person is good and deserves to be on the Island or not. This process is apparently not limited to the survivors of Ocanic 815, since Ben infers to consensus having been reached aboutGoodwin being a "good man" and reliable enough to judge Ana Lucia's character and vouch for her. This theory indicates that Jacob may not have the final say.
• Jacob is not a "real person". He is an electromagnetic force on the island that can inhabit and reanimate bodies dead people. In Cabin Fever, Jacob uses Claire's body in his cabin. When Locke says that "I'm here because I was chosen to be," Claire does this little smile of approval that seems to say "I'm Jacob and you have my approval". There might be another force like Jacob who is occupying Christian's body in that scene, and that's why Christian can "speak on Jacob's behalf". Christian never denies that Jacob is in the room at any time.

Identity

The Captain of the Black Rock

Evidence:

• Jacob's clothing and hairstyle are consistent with what a ship's captain of this period would wear.
• This would explain Widmore's interest in the journal he buys at auction penned by ship's first mate.
• This could also explain his aversion to technology.
• Given that Jacob "lives" in a cabin that reappears in different locations on the island, and island that moves through time/space, this hypothesis (of a strangely long lived/time-spanning/dimension hopping sea captain) seems possible.
• Richard Alpert has proven to be far older than he appears. To the extent of his age remains unknown.

Limitations:

• As of yet, we have no explanation for how someone could have survived in any form on the island for this amount of time.
• Magnus Hanso was the Captain of the Black Rock.

The "Patriarch"

Note: This theory does not preclude that Jacob is also Capt. of the Black Rock.

It will be discovered that Jacob is actually the progenitor of many of the main characters. The producers have stated that Jacob was given his name for a reason. In the Bible, Jacob is best known as a patriarch of the 12 tribes of Israel. It will be discovered that some of the other castaway parents were also descended from Jacob as well. There could be a significance to the number 12. He could be the patriarch of 12 different characters that we have either met or will meet from the Island:

Evidence:

• Christian Shepherd is inexplicably the father of 2 passengers on a plane crash (a highly low probability event): Jack and Claire, as well as the grandfather of Aaron.
• Both the apparition of Christian and Claire now hang out in Jacob's cabin and seem happy and comfortable there.
• The original Sawyer/Anthony Cooper (father of Locke), had an affair with James Ford's mother. While this occurred while Sawyer was a boy, this may also imply an earlier relationship between his mother and Cooper, resulting in Sawyer, that he is not aware of since both his parents are deceased. The affair at least implies the potential for a prior infidelity on his mother's part and uncertainty regarding Sawyer's parentage.
• A major theme of the show has been parent issues and the connections between the characters.
• Bea was also interested in Walt's parentage and took a blood test, which may be used to reveal his genetic history.
• John Locke's (the philosopher and economist in real life) "Treatises on Government" directly oppose the patriarchal justification for lineage in societal leadership. Back in the day, rulers claimed to be descendant of Adam thus they were divinely entitled to leadership positions. It was the point of Locke that this is NOT the case.

OR

• Jacob is Jacob the Biblical Patriarch without parenting the Lost Characters.

Limitations:

• Many of the characters are very spread out geographically in their origins (i.e. Korea, Iraq, L.A., England, Australia). Given that world wide travel has only been possible quite recently, this would indicate that a patriarch would have to be relatively recent to have traveled so far, and such a connection between characters is not apparent.
  • Relatedly, some of the most promising candidates for this lineage, who the Others are most explicitly interested in (i.e. Walt, Locke, Cindy), evidence very different genetic characteristics.

A prior incarnation of another character

• Given the "Dalai Lama"-like selection process Richard used when approaching Locke as a boy, reincarnation may play a part in the ideology of the Others and the "special" people they chose to live among them. Given this possibility, Jacob may be a prior incarnation of one of the characters we are already familiar with.

Limitations:

• Why would the others need to find Jacob's reincarnation if they already have access to Jacob through Ben?
• How could Jacob be reincarnated if his "soul" is still present on the island?
• The "special people" are those who have a connection to the island, and are able to see their future on the island.

Evidence: The items Richard shows Locke are from the future. The items, such as the "mystery island" comic, the compass, the Book of Laws Eko, and the sand from the Island are all tests of whether Locke has seen into his future on the Island. Further, there are indications to that he has had visions of his future. As a child he made a drawing resembling the Monster of the Island. This would indicate that "special" people are able to glimpse their future on the island.

Possible reincarnations of Jacob include:

Jack Shephard

Evidence:

• Jack Shephard has the same color of eyes (brown) as Jacob.
• Jack's family, Christian Shephard and Claire Littleton are frequently seen in Jacob's cabin.
• The Island/Jacob has healing powers. Jack is a doctor and good at his job. His profession is related with healing.
• The name "Jack" is a diminutive form of Jacob.
• In Outlaws and Stranger in a Strange Land, Jack is referred to as "a great man." Ben refers to Jacob as "a great man" on numerous occasions, most notably near the end of Season 2. No other characters are ever affixed with this title.
• Locke's speech in Exodus Part 2 about how Jack really does believe in destiny, but he "just doesn't know it yet," might point to this.
• Locke characterizes Jack as a liar in their final confrontation in There's No Place Like Home Parts 2 & 3. The name "Jacob," of course, in Hebrew is figurative for "deceiver".[1]

John Locke

• Evidence: The test that Richard Alpert does to the young Locke in "Cabin Fever" is a reincarnation test. Given Alpert's persistent interest in Locke over his lifetime, Locke may be believed to be the reincarnation of a very special person to the Others, such as Jacob.

Walt Lloyd

• Evidence: Walt appeared to "help" Locke by talking him out of killing himself after Ben shot him and left him in the mass Dharma grave saying "I hope he [Jacob] helps you John."

• Counter-evidence: This appearance of Walt is more likely:
  • • (1) Locke's hallucination from being shot and having lost a significant amount of blood
    • (2) One of the apparitions (like Christian or Yemi), a character familiar to Locke who is not Jacob, but perhaps speaks/acts on his behalf.

Characters from the Lost Experience

Alvar Hanso

Alvar Hanso

• Evidence: Founder of the Hanso Foundation, who funded the DHARMA Initiative, so possibly is idolized in some way by the Others. In addition, the screenshot of Jacob from "The Man Behind the Curtain" bears a striking resemblance to Hanso.
• Cons: In the Lost Experience, Alvar is in Norway in September 2006, and says he has been held as a prisoner in his home by Thomas Mittelwerk. Plus DHARMA and the Others are enemies.
  • But something we have learned both Official Podcasts and Season 4 is that DHARMA can use the properties of the Island to transport beings from there to other remote places, so Alvar Hanso could be held prisoner in his home and in the cabin.
  • If Jacob is Alvar Hanso, and Alvar founded The Dharma Initiative, then who are the Hostiles?
• Conclusion: Alvar Hanso would seem like a reasonable candidate for "Him", but factual information from the Lost Experience does cast some doubt on the theory.

Alvar Hanso's father

• Evidence: We have not yet learned the name of Alvar Hanso's father, who would also be Magnus Hanso's son. Jacob is spelled just that way in Denmark. The middle Hanso could have come searching for his father's final resting place, and part of the DHARMA Initiative's purpose on the Island was to either discover what had become of him or exploit what he found on the Island.
• Cons: The middle Hanso would probably be at least 90 years old, and yet Jacob in "The Man Behind the Curtain" appears middle-aged. It is also unlikely that a character unknown to many lost fans (those who have not taken part in the "Lost Experience") would play such an important role.
  • Yet Richard Alpert looks the same age he did when Ben was a little boy, if Richard can age slowly (or not at all) why can't the middle Hanso if he is in fact Jacob?
• Conclusion: The only strike against Alvar's father so far can be explained by the regenerative powers of the Island. The missing Hanso between Alvar and Magnus seems like a strong possibility to be Jacob, but we don't have enough information about either to say for certain.

Magnus Hanso

• Evidence: Due to the regenerative powers of the Island, Magnus might have lived this long and taken on some of the stranger characteristics of the Island as a result. Jacob's house has chains hung throughout it, like the Black Rock. Also, Jacob's clothing in the screencap appears similar to that of the young Richard Alpert, and may be 19th century in style. If still alive he would be the one on the Island that J.J. Abrams hinted is over 100 years old (though as of yet, the unaging Richard Alpert is a more likely candidate for that person). If dead, he could be Magnus Hanso's disembodied spirit.
• Cons: Magnus is probably dead, and his "confirmed final resting place" is a part of the blast door map. Although, the final resting place could very well be his cabin.
• Conclusion: Due to the events of "The Man Behind the Curtain", this is a possible theory to consider.

Enzo Valenzetti

• Evidence: Enzo apparently died in a plane crash, but could have actually survived and disappeared to live on the Island. As the founder of the Valenzetti Equation, his research sparked the DHARMA Initiative itself. Valenzetti's connection to the Island's mysteries (e.g. the Numbers) seems quite profound.
• Cons: So far there's been no indication that Valenzetti has been involved with anything that has happened on the Island. In addition to this point, the plane in which he was a passenger crashed in Europe. Rachel Blake's evidence in the Lost Experience suggested Valenzetti didn't die but is hiding, but it also implied that his hiding place is in Italy. There is no reason to believe that the leader of the Others is the man who, in essence, spawned the DHARMA Initiative through his equation.
• Conclusion: No convincing evidence that would support this theory has been presented in any episode.
  

Thomas Mittelwerk

• Pros: Jacob means "the supplanter". Mittelwork supplanted Alvar Hanso as head of the Hanso Foundation and on the board of the Widmore Corporation. When he turned fugitive he left a message that Hanso might have won the battle, but that's all it was, a battle. He added that humanity needed him, more than ever. He said he had the virus and the will, and that he would not fail. (The Lost Experience clues/September 26)

Non-specific characters

The Island

• Jacob is the "translator" for the Island.

Evidence:

• In "Through the Looking Glass", Mikhail and Ben have a conversation about Ben being told to block transmissions emanating from the Island (via the Looking Glass Station). During this conversation, Ben and Mikhail talk about what the Island said and what Jacob said interchangeably.
• Both are referred to as having the ability to heal (e.g. Locke, Rose, Juliet's sister), as well as punish.

Limitations: Many references have been to Jacob being a man rather than an abstract concept.

The Monster

Evidence:

• Jacob has some dislike of technology and Juliet states that the Monster 'doesn't like our fences' in "Left Behind".

Limitations:

• Why would Jacob need to work through the Others then - why doesn't he destroy the Kahana group himself? Or chose the good/bad characters to join the Others?

Spirit

Jacob is a disembodied spirit or ghost with extensive knowledge of the past/future, and as such an important source of knowledge for the Others. Evidence:

• This is why the Others do what he says, including moving the island when Keamy & company attack.

Limitations:

• Why didn't Jacob warn the Others in advance of Keamy's attack?

Other ideas

Unknowable

• Nobody knows who Jacob really is, not even Ben.

• Jacob is a character that we haven't seen before.

Hostage

Jacob is Ben's hostage.

Evidence:

• Ben seems able to control Jacob's fit when Locke turns on the flashlight during his first visit to the cabin.
• Ben is keeping Jacob "prisoner" with the mysterious ash-like substance surrounding Jacob's cabin (Ben checks this every time he enters the house).
• This also suggests why Ben was very reluctant to take Locke to see him. Jacob can somehow selectively talk to individuals, hence he was able to talk to Locke without Ben being able to hear. He can talk to people telepathically. Hence, realizing Locke was a good person, asked him for help.
• Jacob is helping the Losties by showing them visions that give them clues, aide and warnings so that they can stop the Others and free him. This is why Ben is so threatened by Locke's ability to hear Jacob.

Limitations:

• Why didn't Jacob summon the Others in a similar fashion to overthrow Ben? Perhaps the Others are afraid of Jacob for some reason, or Ben.
• Why does Jacob apparently guide Ben and assist the Others with information and guidance if he is their prisoner? Further, if he is not really a living person, what could they possibly use to coerce him?
• Why then does Ben do what Christian (speaking for Jacob) says and move the island?
  • Alternately Jacob could be a willing prisoner, and the ash doesn't keep him in, instead it keeps something else out. Ben is helping Jacob but is taking his time out of fear of becoming useless to the Others.
• If Jacob was being held prisoner by Ben and contained by the ash, then where was Jacob in There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3 and why was "Christian" there instead?

"Help Me."

Theory 1: Jacob says "Help me" to Locke because he knows Faraday's group is coming and they are a threat to him and/or The Island. He chooses to ask for Locke's help instead of Ben's because he knows Ben will be imprisoned by the survivors of flight 815 and unable to do anything, whereas Locke is a member of the survivors' group and not perceived as a threat. By using an insider, Jacob has more control over the actions of the survivors of flight 815.

Evidence:

• Jacob has used this same strategy before, when he used Ben as his insider within the DHARMA group before the Purge.

Theory 2: Jacob tells Locke "Help me" because Jacob is being held prisoner by Ben so that he himself is the only one who can communicate with him. See Hostage theory (above).

Theory 3: Jacob wants Locke to replace Ben simply because Locke is a better version of Ben.

Evidence:

• Soon after, the "Christian" apparition in the cabin banishes Ben by having him move the island.
• Ben states that he no longer has "dreams" - ostensibly the premonitions that Locke has about what to do on the island.

Wizard of Oz connection

• The title of the episode "The Man Behind the Curtain" seems to make reference to the Wizard of Oz. Ben could be the man behind the curtain, using the idea of Jacob to control The Others and remain in power, just as the wizard does to the people of Emerald City.

Limitations:

• "The Man Behind the Curtain" more likely refers to the man behind The Others.

Role in Show

• If Jacob's name has a meaning (e.g. Jacob was the father of the 12 tribes of Israel), Jacob may function as a father figure (analogous to the common conception of God in Freud's approximation), particularly for Locke and Ben. Both of these characters killed their own fathers on the island to show their commitment to "the island." Interestingly, Kate also killed her father off the island, deliberately, which apparently is what makes her a "bad person" in the eyes of the Others, and Jack also "kills" Christian by neglecting to go after him sooner and save Christian from himself. Unlike Locke and Ben, Jack and Kate are both haunted by their actions (as we see when Kate hears her father's voice when Sawyer is sick and Jack is haunted by his father's ghost when he returns to life off the island).
• Many of the Losties have "father issues" - Kate killed her step-dad, Jack and his father, Claire just met, then rejected Christian, Hurley was abandoned by his father, Sawyer lost both his parents and abandoned his own daughter, Aaron doesn't know who his father is, Sun is mad at her father, etc..