LOST: Season 6 Episode 9 - Ab Aeterno

Hello LOSTIES!  Well, there is just no way of getting around it this time kids.  WOW!!!!!!    WOW!!!!!!!     WOW!!!!!!!   Okay, whew, out of my system.  That was one epic episode don't you think?  Nestor Carbonell (Richard) and others had been hyping it up for weeks now and, in my opinion, it did not disappoint!  The show's harshest critics will still cry foul and wish there were more answers, but come on guys!  We got BIG answers.  It may not be the answers everyone wanted or in the detail that we anticipated but we got them.  And to all of the Flash Sideways haters, you got your wish as well!  In the great tradition of a couple of other episodes, this was mostly the backstory of one man with few clips of the present day.  (I refer to Desmond's time trippy journey to the past in season 3's "Flashes Before Your Eyes" and the story of what happened to Michael after leaving the island in season 4's "Meet Kevin Johnson")

Ab Aeterno, in Latin, means "Since the Beginning of Time".  We know Richard has been on the island for a long time.  This episode gives us the year in which he got there.  This was the grand backstory of Richard Alpert.  How he ended up on the Island, how he was tempted by the 2 opposing forces of the Island and kinda how he has not aged since he got there.   Of course, surrounding this story is lots of questions about artifacts on the Island, more background and solid answers on the Man in Black vs Jacob's motives.  And of course, more information on what is in store for our candidates.  Let's dive into our story now and see what we can uncover!

Team Jacob Campfire Discussion

Ilana Flashback

So, in the season that LOST has unveiled the Flash Sideways, the show has had to get creative in how show us backstories.  Well, one way is to sneak in a couple people's flashbacks into one episode!  This episode opens up with the Flashback we began to see between Jacob and Ilana in season 5's finale "The Incident".  Ilana is banged up and in bandages.  Jacob comes and touches her and tells her that he needs her help.  The story continues here before we join Jack and crew in the present day. 

• Jacob tells Ilana that there are 6 people he needs Ilana to protect and this is what she has been preparing for.  So, a couple things stand out here to me.  Jacob gave Ilana the number 6.  Ilana tells Sun there are 6 remaining candidates.  Ilana also knows that John Locke is dead and that there are still 6 candidates.  So we still have the question on who the 6 are.  We know Kate's name isn't crossed off of the lighthouse.  So, we still have Hurley, Sayid, Jack, Sawyer as definites (even if Sayid is "claimed" right now).  Then there are one or both of the Kwons and then maybe Kate or Frank or whatever.  Ilana says she wasn't sure if Kwon represented both Sun and Jin.   But Jacob specifically says "6" people.  Oh well, whoever it is, they'll know if it's them that are chosen! 
• The other thing was the whole concept that Ilana has been preparing for this day.  It would seem like  Jacob has had a team of people preparing off Island for the day that the candidates would be called to take over for Jacob.  Yeah, we could have assumed that, but it was nice to hear it from Jacob.  
• It would seem like Jacob's first instruction to Ilana was to go to the temple and after that ask for Ricardus (Richard) and he will know what to do.  Maybe she was thrown off when she got to the Island and realized that John Locke was walking around on the Island?   So this led her to look for Richard first?  It sure seemed like she was trying to get to Jacob in the season 5 finale.   They found Locke's body, the went to the cabin, they got the piece of tapestry with the 4 toed statue on it and headed to Jacob's home on the beach.  There, they found Richard and THEN they went to the Temple.   
• Oh well, probably too much speculation over something that probably isn't worth speculating on!   The point was Ilana was sent to the Island to protect the candidates and Richard supposedly knows what needs to happen next.
• Note that during the conversation, Ilana heals pretty quickly.  We must assume this is Jacob's doing.   We still didn't find out why Ilana was in that hospital bed in the first place.  Will we?  Is there enough time?  Is it important?  I guess we'll see! 

Present Day - Jack and Crew get Caught up

The last we saw of our beach dwellers, Jack, Hurley and Richard had just arrived and teamed up with Ilana, Miles, Sun, Frank and Ben.  Note: This is the first episode we see Sun where she didn't mention Jin's name!   It is night and they are sitting around the fire.  It would seem that Jack has just been caught up on what is going on and that they are candidates to replace Jacob.  

• Sun tells Jack that both of them plus Hurley are candidates according to Ilana.  Hmmm, Sun is taking some liberties there isn't she?  Ilana said she didn't know if Sun or Jin was a candidate.  But, I guess we assume she will be planning to protect both until she does know.
• As always, you gotta love Frank's reaction to all of this.  Was he bitter his name wasn't mentioned when he said "Well, that's great"?  
• Ilana has no idea what to do next but, based on her direction from Jacob she assumes Ricardus (Richard) does.   
• Richard, whom we just saw with Jack wanting to die, can't help but laugh at Ilana asking him what to do. 

• Richard is convinced now that Jacob is a big fat liar.  Based on the backstory we are about to get we see why Richard is convinced.  (Who else?  Smokey!)  And then he tells everyone on the beach his theory on what the Island is, and it's also based on his conversation with Smokey.  He says that they're all dead and that the Island is Hell.   Oh boy...cue all of the crazy theories again of purgatory.  Except this time, we'll skip right past purgatory and we'll just call it Hell!   Now, yes, I can see during the flashback that Richard may think this is the case but how does he explain leaving the Island and visiting John Locke during various stages of his life?  How does he explain going off Island to recruit Juliet or filming Juliet's sister?   How does he explain "retrieving the Man From Tallahassee?"   Does he now think that this was the Devil just messing with him and everyone and that the whole WORLD and ISLAND is all part of Hell?  Interesting, but I think we'd have a whole bunch of upset viewers if "They're all Dead" was the answer to the show!  We've already been down that road of theories folks! 
• So, anyway, Richard is convinced that there is one man he can turn to for the answers now.  He's running to Smokey! 

What now?

• Ilana is planning to go after Richard.  Jack tries to convince her it's pointless and that he's gone crazy.   
• Jack, then finds out that John Locke is the man that Richard is going to.  Gotta love Ben's "ooooh this should be interesting" right before the reveal.  I was really hoping Jack would come face to face with Locke before finding out he was still dead.  But too many people on the Island know that it's Smokey now!  But instead he finds out that it's not exactly Locke.  I'm sure "off camera" he finds out it's Smokey.  
• But in the meantime, we see Hurley talking in spanish to no one.  It took me only the first scene of the flashback to figure out who he probably was talking to but we won't go there just yet!   If anyone finds the translation to what Hurley was saying in this scene, please post it in the comments!  I'll add it to this bullet if I get it. 

• Jack is convinced that Hurley is talking to Jacob and what's information as always.  But Hurley confirms it is not Jacob and that it doesn't concern Jack.   Hurley walks away and we'll see him later in the episode. 
• Meanwhile Ben and Ilana have a little chat.  Ben says that Jack is right about Richard that he doesn't know anything.   Ben said that he has known Richard since he was 12 years old.  This might be the first time we got an age to go with how old Ben was when he first came to the Island.  We know that Ben and Richard met a little before 1977 so he is at least 42 years old maybe older (of course Michael Emerson is 50 but who's counting?).   Ahhh 42.  Coincidence? probably. 
• Anyway, Ben explains how Richard doesn't age.  Frank asks how something like that would happen and then we WHOOSH back to the past!
  
  (Everyone note that it is a normal FLASHBACK "whoosh" sound and not the crazy Sideways "Wehhh ehhh OOSH" sounds we have been getting all season.  This is indeed a flashback and I indeed just trademarked the spelling of the Flashback and Flash Sideways sounds.   Give me credit if you use it!) 

Richard's Flashback

Tenerife, Canary Islands 1867

We begin our Richard story in 1867 on the Canary Islands, a property of Spain.  Well there we go folks, Richard is Spanish, not Egyptian, not English!  It turns out that Richard had a wife named Isabella and she was very sick. 

("A" marks the spot on the map in case you were interested)

• First of all, let's do some math.  2007-1867 = 140 Years that Richard has been on the Island and not aging. 
• Isabella is coughing up blood and burning up.  Things aren't looking well.  She gives Ricardo the cross around her neck to give to the doctor.   While Richard refuses she tells him to close his eyes and that they will "always be together."    

• Richard promises to save Isabella and heads on his way to the doctor on horseback.  

• We find out that Richard lives in the town of El Socorro which the rude doctor is not willing to travel to in the pouring rain.  He does offer medicine but for a very high price.  A price that Ricardo cannot even afford even when offering up Isabella's necklace.   Ricardo gets desperate and grabs ahold of the doctor who starts demanding he let go.  Richard accidentally pushes the doctor who falls and hits his head very hard on a table.  He is killed instantly.   This is very reminiscent of the way Desmond accidentally killed Kelvin in the season 2 finale. 

• Ricardo does not hesitate, he has the medicine in his hand.  The butler with the blankets just stands there staring at the scene in front of him.  Ricardo bolts for the door, gets on his horse and heads back to Isabella.  But alas, he is too late.  Isabella has passed on.  Everything that Richard went through to get the medicine was for nothing, but has sealed his fate to his final destination.   By the way, excellent acting job by Nestor Carbonell to take on a Spanish role for the majority of the episode.  Of course, he is of Cuban and Catalan descent so maybe it wasn't too much of a stretch.  Regardless, excellent job!   

• The authorities appear to have followed Ricardo to his home and bring him to prison for his murder of the doctor. 

Ricardo in Jail

• We see Ricardo reading the bible in prison when a priest comes to offer him food and to hear his confession.   He requests to see Richard's Bible which we find out is in English.   We clearly get a shot of The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 4 verses 24-29.  Yes, 4 is one of the numbers.  When I looked up verse 24, ironically verse 23 (another number) was a famous and controversial verse in the English translation of the Bible.  It included the expression "Physician, Heal Thyself" which ironically was explored to a great length of detail by EW's own Doc Jensen back in January.  (I knew I had read that expression somewhere!)   He also refers to  chapter 24 (an inverse of 42) as a possible important motif to the world of LOST.  "No prophet is accepted in his own country."  Now, I'm sure there is tons to speculate with these verses and the other verses I didn't touch on.  But what I found most interesting is that Luke Chapter 4 (to borrow from the Doc Jensen article) is pretty much about "Christ entering the wilderness to be tested by Satan and it ends with Christ casting out evil spirits."   Now that sounds very thematic to this episode and possibly to this entire season or even the entire show.   So, I guess we all have some homework to read Luke Chapter 4 of the Bible.   Or we could just accept the overtones for what they are and keep watching the show!

• We find out Richard has been teaching himself English and that he and his wife were going to travel to the "New World".  Interesting, were they still calling it that in 1867?  Wasn't it North America and South America by then? Didn't the United States of America exist by 1776?  Oh well, we'll let it slide!   Richard and Isabella wanted to start a family and a new life in the Americas. 
• Richard does give his confession and explains the accidental nature of the doctor's death.  The priest does not accept the confession and will not absolve murder.  And he also said there is no time for him to repent for his sins because he is to be hanged the next day.  Since when do Priests not take a confession regardless of the sin?  So, going along with the whole theme of the episode the priest tells him that the devil awaits for him in hell.  
• The next day arrives and Ricardo is taken out of his cell and blindfolded.  He is taken to a Mr. Whitfield who was intrigued that he spoke English, that he has strong hands and was interested in going to the "New World".  Richard used to work in the fields.  Whitfield pays the priest for Richard and claims him as the property of one Magnus Hanso.  Anyone who has been following LOST for awhile knows the name Hanso.  And you may even recognize the name Magnus Hanso as the man who owned/captained the Black Rock.  Of course, we also know that Tovard Hanso was the supposed owner of the Black Rock ledger to which Charles Widmore bought at an auction.  Alvar Hanso was a financial backer of the DHARMA Initiative and probably the grandson of Magnus Hanso.  So it was all related somehow!   So, as speculated for years and mostly confirmed a couple episodes ago we learn that Richard was on board the Black Rock when he arrived to the Island and we confirmed that he most certainly was IN CHAINS.   

Black Rock Voyage

• So, we do not see much of the Black Rock voyage but we see enough to have some speculations. Richard is most certainly chained in with other Spaniards in the bottom of the ship.  They are traveling through some heavy storms and seas (very similar to Desmond's arrival to the Island).  

• Richard asks another man if he can see anything outside a crack in the boat.  He doesn't see much at first but then sees land and what he claims to be "The Devil".   And says that the Island is guarded by the devil.   Of course, all of us recognize this "DEVIL" as the Egyptian God of fertility and childbirth known as Tawaret.  And also known to us LOSTIES as "The 4 toed statue!"  The ship is headed right towards the statue!  It would appear that the Black Rock caught some really large waves because we see the ship going high up and straight into the statue.  

• So this answers one of our questions we have had way back since the season 2 finale.  How did the statue get destroyed?  While I had previously speculated that perhaps it was the Black Rock "crew" destroying the statue in fulfillment of The Man in Black's "The Come, They Fight, They Corrupt, They Destroy" prophecy, it turns out that the Black Rock Crew DID destroy the statue but totally accidentally!  
• This also answers how the Black Rock ended up in the middle of the Island, as the next shot we see is of this very thing.  Although, I never thought that the Black Rock was in a location similar to the Statue.  Jack, Rousseau and crew travelled to the Black Rock at the end of season 1 on foot while Sayid, Sun and Jin didn't pass by the statue until they headed north via boat to get to the Others' fake camp.   But, whatever, maybe the wave was just that huge that it traveled for miles after a direct collision with the statue!  In other words, this is the answer we're getting, we may as well accept it!  Many people had speculated that a tsunami had caused the Black Rock to get there, and well it does seem to have been something like that. 

• What confuses me about the whole encounter tough is the night time and stormy aspect of the scene.   Remember the scene between the Man in Black and Jacob that started off the season 5 finale?  A ship that looks very much like the Black Rock was travelling to the Island in broad daylight and perfect weather.  We learned that Jacob "brought them" here.  We also learn in this episode that Jacob brought many many people to the Island before the Black Rock.  So, there are 2 ways to look at this.  1.) The ship was not the Black Rock in the season 5 finale.  But then where is any evidence of that ship having been at the Island?   2.) The ship was the black rock and the Island did one of its "day turning into night" events and the heavens started to pour.  We also saw the Ajira Plane flying in the middle of the night and then in broad daylight the next second.  Are these events similar?    Here is the picture of the ship from season 5.   Any speculations out there? 

Island - What Happened to the Black Rock Crew

So we may have thought that the Black Rock crew had explored this Island for awhile before perishing, but that does not turn out to be the case.  Of course, we always knew that there were slaves that died while they were still chained in.  We found out very quickly what happened to everyone on the ship. 

• Magnus Hanso, whom we never met, perished in the crash.
• All but 5 officers also died.  Several of the slaves were still alive including Richard and the Spaniard who things fertility statues are devils.  They kept screaming that they were alive and finally Whitfield came down with his sword.
• He started killing the slaves one at a time claiming that if he didn't the slaves would eventually turn on them and kill them.  

• So ever slave is killed and just as Whitfield is about to take out Richard, we hear a familiar sound. I love it when we actually get to root for Smokey! (ripping off Montand's arm, going after the freighter crew, I'd even go as far as watching him take out Bram and crew just because it was really cool!)   Anyway, Smokey takes care of the 5 officers including a cool shot of dragging Whitfield through the ceiling.  Good times! 

 

• Then it's time to scope out Richard.  Similar to what he did to Eko, Kate and Juliet we see flashes of light and smokey capturing memories from Richard's past.  Now of course Locke also claimed to have seen a bright white light and Eko claimed that this is not what he saw so take from this what you will! 

• And for a long period of time we see Richard trying to break loose from his chains.  He eventually gets a nail loose from the boards and tries to pry open the chains with that.  We get a shot of a boar  feasting on some of the dead bodies (I'll spare you from the visual).  Richard tries to defend himself from the boar with the nail and drops it in the process out of his reach.   Poor guy! 
• Then, after a period of time, Ricardo then sees Isabella who is so happy to see him!  She claims that they are both dead and that they're in hell.   She is there to save him before "he" come back.  She calls him the devil. She looked into his eyes and all she saw was evil.  We then "HEAR" the smoke sounds from outside of the Black Rock (confusing, right?).  Richard tells Isabella to go without him.  She refuses at first but then runs.  We don't see smokey though as it sounds like he rips her apart. 

• So what is going on here right?  Okay, so first, I am thinking that Smokey captured Richard's memories and then took the form of Isabella to sway Richard.  Sounds right, right?   One issue with that.  Every form Smokey has taken previously has been of dead bodies on the Island.  Are we saying that we went through all of this trouble to bring John Locke's body back to the Island and Smokey never needed him to be here?   Yemi, Alex, possibly Christian Shephard were all bodies on the Island.  (although, we still don't know where Christian's body is in either the Island or Sideways timeline)    Issue #2: How did we hear smokey from far away but still have this incarnation of Isabella in the Black Rock at the same time?  Is that just a gift of Smokey's that we didn't know existed?  Or was this image if Isabella not the Man in Black/Smokey's doing at all?   Jacob later says that he does not like to get involved but could he have somehow caused this vision to Richard?   We know Kate has seen a horse from her past on the Island before.  How did that happen?   Am I looking too much into this?  Or am I rightfully confused?  I will have to go with the opinion that somehow this image is created by Smokey in his attempt to seduce Richard into killing Jacob.  But I still don't know how it's possible based on prior examples of Smokey incarnations. 

Man in Black's Seduction of Richard to the Dark Side

• More time passes and Richard is then awoken by the touch of a hand on his shoulder.  A very blatant touch right?  We first think it is Jacob, but then it turns out to be none other than the Man in Black (Titus Welliver version)!  

• MIB gives Ricardo water and claims to be a friend.  When Ricardo asks if he's in hell, MIB confirms it.  He also says he was on the Island long before the Black Rock.  Richard asked about his wife, how the black smoke came and she ran.  MIB says that this probably means that "HE" has her.  He refers to HIM as the devil.   He offers his help to Richard as he too "wants to be free."    Looks like Smokey's desire to leave the Island goes as far back as his desire to kill Jacob.  Definitely makes sense.  MIB requests that Richard promise he will help him before he frees him from the chains.  MIB wants Richard to do anything he asks.  Richard obliges. 
• Richard is finally freed from the chains.  Richard is thankful and the Man in Black says something that isn't the first time we hear it "It's good to see you out of those chains."  So not only was Flocke's reference to this a reference to Richard's time on the black rock, it was the exact line that triggered Richard's memory to who Flocke actually was.  It also now helps us piece together Flocke and Richard's scenes in the Locke-centric episode "The Substitute" where Flocke tells Richard he wants what he always wanted.  For Richard to join him.
• So MIB tells Ricardo that he will need his strength if they want to escape.  He says there is only one way to escape from hell.  He is naturally referring to killing Jacob when he says that Ricardo will have to kill the devil.  Because Jacob's death is the MIB's only ticket off of the Island. 
• Next we see Richard feasting on a boar.  MIB gives Ricardo directions to where he will find the Devil.  Head due West until you get to the ocean and then he'll see the statue.   MIB explains that the ship smashed through the statue its way inland and smashed it into pieces.

• We then see a scene that is hauntingly familiar to the Dogen/Sayid scene in which Dogen gives Sayid a "special" dagger and gives him explicit instructions.  MIB's instructions to Richard are the same.  He only has one chance, shove this into the devil's chest, do not hesitate and do not let him say a word.  If he speaks, it will already be too late.  He can be very persuasive.  Richard laughs asking how he could kill the devil if he's black smoke.  MIB is very upfront with Richard and says HE is the Black Smoke.  Wow, 6 seasons we have to wait for Smokey to reveal himself to the LOSTIES, and he reveals himself to Richard within days of his arrival to the Island.  Gotta love the last season folks! 

• Richard then is confused as he knew Isabella was running from the smoke.  MIB says that Isabella was running from The Devil and that he tried to stop him but he couldn't.  MIB is again trying to identify with the person he is having a 1 on 1 conversation with.  He tells Richard that he is not the only one who has lost something.  The Devil (Jacob) betrayed him and took his body and humanity.
• Interesting - He took his body?  I wonder how literal MIB is being here?  Did Jacob somehow take MIB's body and use it as his own or did he just bestow this Smoke Role on him and in doing so, has stripped him from his physical body.   Could this imply that one of those bodies in the cave IS in fact the Man in Black?  (even if Jack assessed the bodies to be dead only for 40-50 years?)   I'm grasping at straws right now, but I found the comment very sincere and intriguing.  
• The rest of MIB's seduction of Richard is basically trying to get him to kill Jacob "The Devil has your wife and you're going to have to kill him to get her back"  Of course, the Man in Black has promised Sayid similar things.  Telling him he could have whatever he wanted in exchange for his help.  Is he lying to get his way?  Based on the final scene between Jacob and MIB in this episode, it would certainly seem so. 
• Ricardo refuses at first saying that murder is wrong and that is why he is in hell in the first place.  MIB states that they can argue all day about what is right and wrong but he asks if he ever wants to see his wife again.  Ricardo acknowledges that he does.  MIB gets up and walks away leaving Richard to his task. 
• By the way, this episode never does explain why Richard went all long hair and scraggly in the 70's for his first encounter with Ben.  In 1954 we see him as clean-cut as he does in 1977 and from 2004-2007.  So why the change for that particular moment?  I don't know if we'll ever get the answer, but we do see that Richard used to have long hair and a beard in his Spaniard days.  So, maybe we can just go with that!  Sorry for the sidebar, just wanted to throw that out there! 

Richard meets Jacob

We see Richard arrive at Jacob's beach with the statue in shambles.  We could sit here and speculate how all of this statue debris on the beach and in the ocean are just gone in 2004-2007, but I'm going to skip right by that.  Some of it probably sank to the bottom of the ocean.  Everything else?  Maybe Jacob has super strength and picked it up and threw it in the ocean too! 

• Richard arrives to the foot and unsheathes the knife.  The door to the foot is open.  Jacob is outside and takes a shot at Richard right to the face.  And he takes a few more shots.  Richard tries still to attack him but Jacob takes him down and grabs the knife.  Jacob then speaks asking Richard why he is here and who gave him the dagger. 

• Richard asks where is wife is.  Jacob claims to not know his wife and asked if she came on the ship.  He then asks if Richard met a man in the jungle dressed in black.  Richard explains to Jacob what MIB told him.  He's the devil, if he wants to see his wife again he must kill him.  Jacob looks clearly upset and tells Ricardo that it wasn't his wife that he saw.   Richard says that it was her and that she is dead just like him.  Jacob tries to convince Richard he's not dead.  (note: some will say that Jacob never did acknowledge they're not in hell.  But I would think saying he's not dead would prove this).  Jacob then takes Richard into the ocean and submerges him repeatedly until Richard cries that he wants to live.  Thus, proving that he's not dead.  Interesting tactic! 

• The next scene we see that Jacob has provided Richard with a blanket to warm up after his underwater adventure.  And Jacob also brings wine for them both to drink and chat. 

• Richard asks what is inside the foot.  Jacob tells Richard that no one comes in unless he invites them in.   If you recall, Richard said something similar to this in season 5's finale and Flocke told him he was beginning to think Richard was making up these rules as he went along.  Jacob then goes into his whole reasoning for bringing people to the Island. 
• He said his name is Jacob and he is the one who brought their ship to the Island.  When Richard asks why Jacob picks up the wine bottle and starts to compare the wine to what Richard is referring to as "HELL".  Jacob gives it another name, Malevolence, evil, darkness (I guess we could call it SMOKEY!)  Jacob says this evil is swirling in the bottle unable to get out.  Because if it did it would spread.  Hmmm, we had speculated a couple blog posts ago (I believe it was while discussing in the comments) that perhaps the real objective of this season to prevent Smokey from leaving the Island.  Similar to Godzilla or King Kong, what would happen if this monster was unleashed upon the world?  At first, I was thinking MIB was trying to leave the Island and return to human form.  But is that even possible?  What if he left the Island and was STILL Smokey?  Is that where this show is heading?  From Jacob's discussion with Ricardo, it sure seems that way.   What does he mean by the EVIL "spreading?"  Would Smokey terrorize the world or would he turn the whole world into Zombie followers like Sayid?   Is this REALLY where the show is headed?   I'll reserve my judgement until we know more, but the idea of Jack and crew's purpose of being on the Island as being called to be protectors of the Island and keep the world safe is not a bad idea.  But is guarding Smokey really all that protecting the Island is about?   I guess we'll keep watching to find out. 

• Jacob puts a cork into the bottle and refers to the cork as the Island.  It's the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs.  He then goes on explaining to Richard that the Man in Black sent him on the murder mission because he believes it is in every man is corruptible because it is in their very nature to sin.  (Recall the MIB's speech "They Come, They Fight, They Corrupt, They Destroy"  Recall Jacob's "You're wrong, it only ends once.  Everything before that, is progress")  Jacob says that he brings all of these people to the Island to prove him wrong.  He says that when the people get here, their past does not matter.  This makes me recall Jack telling Kate in season 1 that everyone gets a clean slate on this Island.  This makes me think back to all of the times the OTHERS would refer to people as "Not a Good person, that's why they weren't on the list."  And of course, does a candidate have to be without sin?  We saw Locke, Sayid and Sawyer all kill people on the Island.  Jack mercy killed the Marshal.  Sun shot one of the Others.   Granted, some of them were threatened and had to shoot.  But it's worth speculating if this matters.  

• Jacob tells Richard that there were many people brought to the Island before him and that they're all dead.  Richard asks why Jacob didn't help any of them.   Jacob says he wanted them to help themselves and to know the difference between right and wrong without him having to tell them.  It would be meaningless if he had to force them to do anything.  Richard retorts that if Jacob doesn't step in then the MIB would. 
• Jacob thinks about this for a second and then offers Richard the job of being his advisor.  Maybe Richard could step in for him.  He could be Jacob's representative to people he brings to the Island.  Richard wants something in return.  First he asks for his wife back.  Jacob states that he cannot do this. (Dead is Dead?)  2nd he asks to be absolved of his sins so he doesn't go to hell.  Jacob states that he cannot do this either (Does this prove he isn't a god?)  3rd, Ricardo then says he never wants to die, he wants to live forever.  Jacob touches Richard's shoulder and says "Now, that I can do!"

• So, Jacob cannot bring people back from the dead but he can touch them and make them immortal?  What does this say about the scene when Locke is thrown out the window by his father and appears to be dead.  Jacob touches him and he breathes again.  Was he not dead and Jacob just partially healed him from the waste up?  I guess we are just going to have to accept the fact that Jacob has these crazy powers.  He is, after all, ageless himself.  People may not like the answer, but that seems to be all we are getting.  Unless, we get a Jacob origin story.  Which, I kinda would like to see! 

Richard and MIB

• Richard returns to MIB.   The Man in Black already knows that he let Jacob talk to him.  (again, very reminiscent of Dogen and Sayid after the encounter)  Why do these scenes mirror each other?  I can't even begin to speculate right now!  
• Man in Black is not even upset.  He knows that Jacob can be very convincing.  Richard then says that Jacob asked him to give MIB a white stone.  Nice, we're brought back to the inside joke!   And of course, in this episode we saw a "Black Rock" and a White Rock.  (ZING!)

• MIB tells Richard that if he ever changes his mind and he means "EVER" his offer still stands.  And then he gives Richard his wife's gold cross.  MIB says that he must have dropped it on the ship.  Maybe this is how he was able to take the form of Isabella?  Because he had something of hers?  Kind of makes me think of Christian Shephard's shoes but that still doesn't help explain why they needed Locke's body on the Island if he's taking the forms of people that aren't on the island.  

• MIB disappears and then Richard buries the necklace by a bench and says goodbye to his wife.  I am confused to why he would rather live an eternity without his wife than die to be with her.  I guess because he thinks he will go to hell.  

Present Day

• We find Richard arriving to the same location where he buried the necklace and watch him dig it back up in 2007.  He then screams over and over for the Man in Black saying that he has changed his mind about his offer.  
• But all that shows up is Hurley!  Hurley asks about the offer.  Richard is confused to why Hurley is there and starts flipping out saying he doesn't know anything.  Hurley said that Richard's wife sent him.  (Totally called that folks! I know I know...not hard to figure out!)   Isabella wants to know why Richard buried the cross.   

• Richard is confused and wants to know how Hugo knows about that.  He says she just told him and saw Richard dig it up.  She is standing right next to him.  Woa...   Isabella tells Hurley that Richard does not believe him.  Hurley tells her sometimes it takes people awhile.  Hurley begins to translate and Richard begins to believe. You're English is Awesome dude!  Richard asks if she is really there.   She tells him to close his eyes and Hurley will tell her what she says "It wasn't your fault that I died. It was my time.  You have suffered enough, Ricardo."  Richard misses her and would do anything to be with her again.   Isabella says they already are together and then she kisses him and disappears.  

• So now even GHOSTS of people that were never on the Island are appearing too?  I'm so confused.  But does this prove that we could have a Smokey incarnation and a GHOST of Christian Shephard on the Island at the same time?  Hmmmm  Could we also speculate that Isabella is referring to a Sideways timeline where she and Richard "are together" with her comment?  Or the fact that she is on the Island as a ghost while he is there alive as well?   All interesting thoughts and confusing thoughts!
  (Update: I stand corrected!  Ben's dead Mother appeared as a Ghost on the island before and she never had been on the Island.  I'm not sure the implications of this but thanks to anonymous commenter for the clarification!)
• In either case it was a very touching scene.  Richard puts the chain around his neck and thanks Hurley. But Hurley is nervous to make one more comment. 
• She said there is one more thing that Richard has to do.  She said that he needs to stop the Man in Black from leaving the Island because if he doesn't "We all go to hell."  And then we get a shot of Flocke looking on from the distance.  YIKES!  We'll have to speculate about this in the comments!  I'm running late! 

Back in 1867

We all would have been happy if the episode ended there, but we got one more exciting scene between the Man in Black and Jacob that pretty much continues their beach discussion AFTER they both talked to Richard.

• We see Man in Black sitting and overlooking the Island holding the white stone.  Jacob comes to him all happy acknowledging he got the present.  MIB says he doesn't have to gloat. 

• Jacob is upset that MIB tried to kill him and is wondering why he did it.  Hmmm didn't Jacob already know that MIB wanted to kill him?  He said he did in the season 5 finale.  Maybe the Black Rock was BEFORE that other ship?  Or was it just so we could hear MIB plead here a little more for Jacob to let him leave? 
• Jacob said as long as he is alive MIB is not going anywhere.  And he said even if MIB kills him somebody else will take his place.  And them MIB says the one thing that defines what side he is truly on (his own).  "Then I will kill them too!"  
• Jacob then gives MIB the bottle of wine and tells him it is to pass the time. "I'll see you around"

• MIB: "Sooner than you think" he then breaks the bottle symbolizing his escape from the Island.

      BOOM LOST!!! 

I said it before and I'll say it again.  A great episode from start to finish!  It gave us a great Richard backstory while tying the events together that apply to the current story.  Bravo to Damon Lindelof, Calrton Cuse and the entire LOST team for their vision and bringing it to fruition in this episode.  I can't wait to watch it again!  There will still be complaints to items that were left out.  But we definitely are getting a clearer picture of where this story is going and we're getting answers along the way.  Bring on next week!  But in the meantime, let's get to the discussion!  Hope you enjoyed my ramblings as always and I'll see you next week!  NAMASTE! 

Ending Credits

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