Jacob

This article or section is under construction Expect many and frequent revisions to this content.

This is an article about the Other named "Jacob". For other uses of "Jacob" see Jacob (disambiguation).

Jacob
Actor	Mark Pellegrino
First	"The Man Behind the Curtain"
Last	"The Incident, Part 1"
Episode Count	3
Centric	"The Incident, Part 1"
AKA	"Him"
Age	At least 500 years old

Jacob, previously referred to as "Him", is said to be the leader of the Others and the person from whom Ben received his instructions. Initially, Ben was the only one who supposedly knew how to reach, hear, or speak to Jacob; however, Locke has heard Jacob speak and Hurley has accidentally stumbled upon his dilapidated-looking cabin located deep in the jungle. Jacob has apparently enlisted the aid of the dead to act as his representative. Most details of Jacob's identity, history, powers, and authority are still shrouded in mystery.

On the Island

High-ranking Others in various time periods have been seen invoking Jacob or claiming to know Jacob's wishes in order to get their own way. Richard does it in 1977 when he is questioned on his decision to take young Ben to be healed at the Temple, and Ben does it in 1989 when he asks Charles whether Jacob wanted Rousseau's baby to be killed. ("Dead Is Dead")

After living on the Island for several months, Juliet asked Ben for permission to return home. Ben informed her that her sister Rachel's cancer had returned, and that Jacob would heal her only if Juliet agreed to stay on the Island. Ben later claimed that Jacob had successfully cured Rachel's cancer. ("One of Us")

Later, when Walt was being held in Room 23, Juliet told Ben that his decision to keep him there was dangerous. Ben replied by saying it was Jacob who wanted Walt to be in Room 23. ("Room 23")

Episodically, he was first mentioned by name in "I Do". According to Danny Pickett, Jack "wasn't even on Jacob's list". ("I Do") Soon after, when Karl was being forced to watch the Room 23 video, the phrase "God loves you as He loved Jacob" appeared. ("Not in Portland")

1845

Jacob is first seen in 1845 residing in the statue. He is busy in a chamber near the base of the statue's feet weaving something with a loom. It appears to be Egyptian. He exits the chamber and catches a red herring off the coast of the statue, then fries it up and eats it. A man sits down next to him and the two observe the Black Rock in the distance. The man blames Jacob for the ship, saying it is his fault they found the Island, and that they will only bring destruction. Jacob tells him that destruction is a part of progress. The man tells Jacob that he desperately wants to kill him, and he will eventually find a loophole and be able to. ("The Incident, Part 1")

1954

The name "Jacob" appears in the Room 23 video. ("Not in Portland")

The first chronological reference to Jacob on the Island occurred in 1954, when John Locke entered the Camp of the Hostiles. He gained an audience with Richard Alpert by saying he was sent by Jacob. Richard recognized the name, although no further information about Jacob's identity was revealed. ("Jughead")

Season 3 (Days 68-91)

First appearance of Jacob's eye ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

The first physical encounter with Jacob occurred on Day 89. After questioning Ben's claim that there was a leader above him, Locke took advantage of the announcement of Naomi's arrival to the Island to make Ben take him to Jacob. Ben explained that Jacob was not the sort of person one visits, but instead was the sort of person to whom one is summoned. Reluctantly, Ben agreed to take Locke to see Jacob. On the way, they came across a line of gray ash on the ground. They arrived at a small cabin nearby. Ben told Locke to turn off his flashlight because Jacob hated technology. Ben cautiously approached the cabin, and announced to Jacob that he and Locke were entering.

Actually, this probably was not Jacob at all. It looks more like the man that spoke to Jacob on the beach in 1845.

Inside, Ben introduced Locke to Jacob, and gestured to an empty chair; there appeared to be nobody else in the room. Ben appeared to be speaking and argue with Jacob, while Locke stood in complete disbelief. Locke accused Ben of putting on a show, but Ben claimed that there was someone sitting in the chair and that John was too limited to see. Locke told Ben that he was pathetic and turned to leave, but as he did so, he heard an ominous voice saying, "Help me". Locke asked Ben to repeat himself, but Ben said that he had not said anything. Ben seemed shocked that Locke had heard a voice, which he appeared to not have heard, leading to the conclusion that Locke heard Jacob's voice while Ben did not.

First appearance of Christian Shephard in Jacob's cabin ("The Beginning of the End")

Locke shined his flashlight onto Ben's face, and the room suddenly started to shake. Ropes and chains shook on the wall, chairs rocked, and windows smashed. Ben's lantern fell to the floor, shattered, and caught fire, but was quickly and inexplicably extinguished. Ben also appeared to shake someone in the chair, about where their arms or shoulders would be, telling him to stop and that he has had his fun. Immediately after which, as if in response to his demand, Ben was thrown hard against a wall by an unseen force. There were very brief glimpses of a third man sitting in the chair and a close-up of an eye not belonging to Ben or Locke. Locke stumbled outside in fear and confusion. The chaos stopped as quickly as it began. Ben calmly followed him outside and hung up the now intact oil lamp. Locke asked "what on earth" was in there. Ben simply replied with, "That was Jacob". ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

Upon arrival at the mass grave, Ben shot Locke. Locke asked him why he had shot him, to which Ben replied, "Because you heard him", referring to Jacob. When Ben asked what he heard Jacob say, Locke answered, "Help me". Before leaving, Ben said, "Well, I certainly hope he helps you, John." ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

Ben returned to the Others and claimed that Jacob changed the plan; they were to attack the beach and kidnap the pregnant women a night earlier than scheduled. ("Greatest Hits") Ben then told Mikhail that Jacob had told him to stop all communication off of the Island. Bonnie told Mikhail that she trusted Jacob, and if she did not, it would all fall apart. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 1")

Season 4 (Days 91-100)

Second appearance of Jacob's eye. ("The Beginning of the End")

On Day 91, Hurley became lost in the jungle and came across Jacob's cabin. He walked up to the cabin and peered in through a broken window. Sitting in the same rocking chair as seen in "The Man Behind the Curtain" was Christian Shephard. Jacob's eye suddenly became visible through the window, frightening Hurley, who ran away. When he turned back toward the cabin, it was no longer there. Instead, as he turned back, the cabin was now in front of him. The door to the cabin swung open, seemingly by itself. Hurley closed his eyes and counted to five, telling himself that there was nothing there, there was nothing to be afraid of. Once again, when he opened his eyes, the cabin was gone. Hurley then fell over backwards and was scared by Locke standing over him. ("The Beginning of the End")

After the survivors split into two factions, Locke decided to visit Jacob for advice; however, when he attempted to find the cabin, it was not in the same place as Locke had last seen it. Hurley accidentally revealed that he had previously seen such a cabin elsewhere, but quickly replied that he thought they meant the plane's cabin. ("The Economist")

Locke's encounter with Jacob's surrogate

Second appearance of Christian Shephard in Jacob's cabin. ("Cabin Fever")

After Keamy and his men's attack on the Barracks, Ben said he and Locke had to see Jacob for advice. Hurley accompanied them, as Hurley was the last person to see the cabin. ("The Shape of Things to Come") Along the way, Locke had a dream of Horace Goodspeed building the cabin. Horace told Locke that he needed to find "...me. And when you do, you'll find him." They went to Horace's corpse in the mass grave and inside his shirt pocket was a map which lead to Jacob's cabin.

Upon finding the cabin, Locke entered alone. Inside, Locke encountered Christian Shephard, who claimed not to be Jacob but said he could speak on Jacob's behalf. He asked if Locke knew why he was there, to which Locke replied that he was there because he had been chosen to. Christian confirmed this, and then a creaking sound caused Locke to turn, seeing Claire in a corner. She told Locke she was fine, and that she was with Christian. Locke started asking questions, but Christian interrupted him, saying that that there was no time, and that the people from the freighter were already on their way. He told Locke to ask the one question that did matter: "How do I save the Island?".

After Locke exited the cabin, Ben asked, "Did he tell you what we're supposed to do?". Locke replied, "He wants us to move the Island". ("Cabin Fever") Locke was not told how to move the Island; according to Ben, this was because Jacob wanted Ben to be the one to move it and thereby be banished forever from it. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2") It has since been revealed that Locke misinterpreted what Christian said and Jacob actually wanted Locke, himself, to move the island. When Locke meets Christian again he is reminded of their conversation when Christian says, "You asked me how to save the island and I told you you had to move it. I said that you had to move it, John.". ("This Place Is Death")

Off Island

Kate

Kate stole a lunchbox with a friend from a general store as a child. After being caught and threatened by the owner of the store, Jacob, standing nearby, offered to pay for the lunchbox to avoid trouble. He handed her the lunchbox and made her promise never to steal again. She agreed, and he tapped her on the nose.

Sawyer

Jacob visited Sawyer at his parents' funeral. He gave him the pen he used to write a letter to Anthony Cooper, the con man who caused his parents' death.

Sayid

Jacob asked Sayid for directions as he walked with Nadia, about to cross a street. Sayid paused to give directions and Nadia continued walking into the street, where she was hit and killed by a speeding car.

Jin and Sun

After the wedding ceremony of Jin and Sun, they are approached by Jacob who wishes them the best and pats them on their shoulders. As he departs, the couple admits that neither knows who he is, but Jin remarks that he speaks excellent Korean.

Ilana

Whilst Ilana was in a hospital, Jacob visited her and asked for her help. She agreed to help him.

Locke

Jacob was sitting on a bench reading a book outside when John Locke was pushed out of a building by his father. Jacob calmly walked over and squeezed Locke's shoulder to wake him up, possibly bring him back to life, given the fall. Jacob apologized that this had happened, assuring Locke that it would be okay.

Jack

After an accident in surgery which Christian Shephard was supervising (the same incident in which Jack learns the "count to five" routine to avoid panic), Jack blames his father for embarassing him in front of his staff. To make matters worse, the Apollo candy bar Jack attempts to purchase from a vending machine gets stuck. Jacob purchases the next one after Jack leaves, giving Jack the one he had left behind. Jack smiles and looked at him as if he was familiar but walked away to move on with his business.

Hurley

Jacob waited for Hurley in a cab upon his release from jail. In the cab, Jacob explained to Hurley that he was not crazy for seeing dead people, and encouraged him to take Ajira Flight 316 to return to the island. He left Hurley with a guitar case that was with him in the cab. The fact that Jacob revealed his knowledge of the Island to Hurley makes his meeting with him unique from that of the other Oceanic Flight 815 survivors. This makes Hurley the only one among them that is aware that this man is in some way connected with the Island.

Episode references

There are several instances in which the Others refer to a leader without explicitly mentioning a name. These may or may not be referring to Jacob:

• Tom said to Ethan, "You know what he'll do when he finds out", implying that "he" is above both of them in the Others' hierarchy. ("Maternity Leave")
• While being held captive by the survivors and being interrogated by Sayid and Ana Lucia, Ben stated, "If I tell you about the Others, you don't know what he'll do! … He'll kill me!"
• Soon after, Ben told Locke, "The man in charge—he's a great man, John, a brilliant man—but he's not a forgiving man. He'll kill me because I failed, John. I failed my mission." ("Two for the Road")
  • This is ironic because Ben ended up killing Jacob. ("The Incident, Part 1")
• Mikhail Bakunin, when describing the list, said, "The man who brought me here, who brought all of my people here, he is a magnificent man." ("Par Avion")
• Ben asks Jacob if He's "happy now" before he turns the frozen wheel. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2")

Trivia

General

• Jacob was the thirtieth character to ever have a flashback.
• Jacob's eye is brown, not the color of Ben's or Locke's.
• Jacob is the middle name of Jeffrey Jacob Abrams (J.J. Abrams).
• On the DVD commentary track for "The Man Behind the Curtain", Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse described an interesting relationship between Jacob and Ben, which is more of a symbiosis than a master/servant role. They stated the ash surrounding the cabin was described as a controlling mechanism, such as a "magic circle".
• Jacob's mysterious introduction as an invisible character with an other-worldly voice was a plot twist.
• On the front cover of Lost: The Complete Third Season, the text "Jacob loves you" is visible.

Production notes

• Jacob was confirmed to be "him" In the 3/20/07 Official Lost Podcast.
• The filming location for Jacob's cabin in "The Man Behind the Curtain" was also used for Eko's grave. [1]
• When Jacob finally was cast for "The Incident, Part 1" the casting call described him as "Jason. Any ethnicity, late 30s-60s. Former soldier. A leader of men. Smart but more than that – he is wise. Strong and straightforward. The words he says are always listened to and they carry gravitas. Looking for someone very interesting and very special for this role..."[2]

Cultural references

• Jacob's Hands is a book by Aldous Huxley about a man called Jacob who can heal animals and humans with his hands.
  • Aldous Huxley worked with the real Richard Alpert at Harvard University studying psychedelic drugs.
  • Aldous Huxley also also wrote a book called Island, featuring a protagonist (Will Farnaby) who is shipwrecked on an island and encounters its inhabitants. An analysis of this book can be found at [3].
• In Adrian Lynes' film Jacob's Ladder, Tim Robbins plays a Vietnam veteran in a purgatory-like state.
• In Marvel Comics, Benjamin Jacob Grimm, a.k.a. the Thing, was raised by his uncle Jacob Grimm, who was a doctor.
• Jakob Böhme (1575 – November 17, 1624) was a German Christian mystic. Böhme had mystical experiences throughout his youth, culminating in a vision in 1600 that he received through observing the exquisite beauty of a beam of sunlight reflected in a pewter dish. He believed this vision revealed to him the spiritual structure of the world, as well as the relationship between God and man, and good and evil.
• Jacob bears some similarities to the character of Management from the HBO series Carnivale.
  • They are somehow imprisoned, forcing characters to come to their dwellings.
  • They are desperate for someone from the outside to help them.
  • They are believed to be mythical by some people, yet revered by a specific subculture.
  • They have supernatural powers, such as the ability to make themselves invisible.
  • They work primarily through another character, who is played by an actor whose first name is Michael and whose last name ends in -son.
• In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley's ghost carries a heavy fetter, or chain, and explains to Scrooge that he (Marley) is doomed to walk the earth for eternity as a punishment for his avaricious and incurious life. He tells Scrooge that he (Scrooge) has a chance to escape the same fate, and that he must expect to be visited by three spirits over the coming nights.

Biblical references

General

• Jacob is an ancestor of Aaron (elder brother of Moses) via Levi, Kohath and Amram.
• Another name for Tribulation is "The Time of Jacob's Trouble" Jeremiah 30:5-7
• During Biblical times, many gods were worshiped and to differentiate the Jewish god from these various other gods, he was referred to as the "God of Jacob".

Jacob's name

• His mother Rebekah named him this because, while his twin brother Esau was firstborn, Jacob came out of the womb hanging onto his heel.
• The English rendering "Jacob" comes from the Latin "Jacobus", which was from the Greek Ιακωβος (Iakobos), which comes from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב(Ya'aqov)[4]
• Jacob refer to "heel", because Jacob grabbed his twin brother, Esau's, heel on birth.
  • The English name "James" also comes from Iakobos; thus, it has the same meaning and can be considered an alternate translation of the same name.[5]
• Jacob was later given the name "Israel," which means "Struggled with God," with an implication of prevailing.
  • Jacob, in the Torah, literally fought an Angel and prevailed, thus giving him the name Israel.
• The Baby name Jacob means Supplanter, one who wrongfully or illegally seizes and holds the place of another.

Jacob's Ladder

Jacob's Ladder?...to the left of Ben

• Jacob envisioned a "Ladder to Heaven" (described in the Book of Genesis 28:11-19) during his flight from his brother Esau.
  • According to the Jewish teachings in the Midrash, the ladder signified the exiles which the Jewish people would suffer before the coming of the Messiah. The top step on the ladder is supposedly guarded by a vision of Esau and represents Edom which God assures Jacob will be brought down at the End of Days.
  • When the phrase, "God Loves you as He Loved Jacob", is superimposed on a staircase in the Room 23 video, it is a direct reference to "Jacob's Stairway to Heaven" in Genesis 28:10-15 [6]
• The person “Jacob” appears in Hebrew(Torah), Christian(Bible), and Muslim(Qur'an) historical texts. In all three historical texts, Jacob is considered a “holy man.”
  • In the Judeo-Christian texts Jacob is renamed Israel and is tied to the “Holy Land.” The historical Jacob left his homeland on a journey (Genesis 28: 11-19). The texts write that Jacob had a DREAM about a ladder. Jacob’s dream about the ladder was that it went to “heaven” and that he saw angels ascending and descending on the ladder to heaven. Jacob “heard” God telling him that the land he was standing on was his… “The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you."
  • Hebrew scholars treat Jacob’s “dream” as an allegory. The ladder tends to represent the rise and fall of the human journey.
  • The Muslim interpretation also leans toward the ladder as a journey of life… as written by Muhammad.
  • Christian interpretation is more toward the ladder is a means to enter “heaven.” Jacob’s ladder is referenced again in the Gospel of John1: 51… "And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
  • In all three - Hebrew, Muslim, and Christian interpretations, Jacob’s ladder can be considered as a bridge between two worlds… a connection between God and Man. In the Bible, Tanakah and the Qur'an, Jacob was the younger twin of Esau. Benjamin was Jacob's youngest son. Jacob died in Egypt in slavery... but Jacob's descendants went on.
    • In the Bible and Tanakah, Aaron is a direct descendant from Jacob.
    • Jacob's son was Joseph who won favour with the king of Egypt after his jealous brothers tried to kill him.
    • Joseph was made a slave that worked in the king's court and rose to royalty status.
    • Because of this when Jacob died Joseph was allowed to bury his father Jacob on royal grounds and he was embalmed just has the Egyptians were.

Jacob's brother Esau

• According to the Book of Malachi, God "loved Jacob but hated his brother Esau" (Malachi 1:1-3).
  • This is the only time God specifically says he "loves" an individual in the Hebrew books.
    • Though "Jacob" here can also be poetically referring to Jacob's descendants, Israel (Jacob was given the name Israel by the Angel of the LORD). Like wise, Esau here can mean the Edomites.
  • Romans 9:13 also says "As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
    • Furthermore, the verses before and after 9:13 deal predominantly with fertility. For instance, 9:9 says "For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son," which could refer to the pregnancy of Sarah.
  • Esau was favored by their father Isaac, but Jacob was favored by their mother.
  • Esau was the firstborn, but Jacob conned him into selling his birthright.
  • Esau was an outdoorsman and hunter, while Jacob was studious, reserved, and "dwelled in tents".
  • Esau married outside his people and founded the kingdom of Edom in what is now southwestern Israel.
  • Jacob impersonated Esau in order to gain a blessing that his father Isaac meant for Esau.

Jacob and Rachel

• Jacob loved Rachel, daughter of Laban.
  • He worked seven years to earn her hand in marriage, but Laban deceived Jacob actually making him marry Rachel's sister Leah (whom he disguised) and forcing Jacob to work another seven years for the right of marrying Rachel.
  • Rachel was apparently barren, but later amazingly gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin after failing to become pregnant for years. She died while giving birth to Benjamin, just as Ben Linus' mother died giving birth to him.

Jacob's son Benjamin

• Jacob had twelve sons, the youngest of whom was named Benjamin. Jacob also had a daughter named Dinah.
  • Benjamin had 11 brothers but only one full brother, Joseph, who also was Jacob's favorite.
  • Jacob was led to believe that his favorite son, Joseph, was dead after Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery. After the brothers went to Egypt during a famine, Joseph set up his brother Benjamin for a crime he did not commit, then revealed his true identity to his brothers and demanded that the brothers bring Jacob to Egypt. Only then did Jacob learn that Joseph was still alive.
• The tribe of Benjamin's women and children were all killed,(just as Ben Linus's "tribe" was killed) and the remaining members of the tribe could not longer proliferate. The historical solution they came up with was to kill the men from another sub-tribe and take their women and children. Women are unable to carry to term on the Island, and the Others have been taking women and children from Oceanic Flight 815.

Twelve Tribes of Israel

• Jacob was the patriarch of what became the 12 Tribes of Israel, people chosen by God to be "set apart" and special.
  • Jacob became the "father of a nation" through his 12 sons—he was clearly a very fertile man. (The Others and Mittelos Bioscience seem to be doing research connected with fertility. Alvar Hanso states on the Hanso Foundation website that the foundation's goal is to "bring rebirth to a dying land and a dying people")

Unanswered questions

Unanswered questions
Do not answer the questions here. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer. More details...

For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Jacob/Theories

• What exactly is the nature of Jacob?
• What is Jacob's history?
• What powers does Jacob possess, and why does he use them?
• Why does Christian speak on Jacob's behalf?
• What did Jacob "do" to Richard to make him not age?