- For other uses, see Jacob (disambiguation).
Jacob was a mysterious figure of authority of the Island who, according to Ben, was "in charge" of the Island. The Man in Black, Jacob's fraternal twin, mockingly stated Jacob "protected" the Island from "nothing". Ageless and possessing supernatural abilities, Jacob was born on the Island and recently resided inside the statue of Taweret until his death in 2007. Capable of coming from and going to the Island, Jacob appears to have had some subtle ability to foresee the future and guide events, purposefully encountering several individuals who later would become survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. In 2007, Jacob was viciously stabbed by Ben, who had been manipulated into doing so by the Man in Black. Before being kicked into his own fire pit, Jacob's last words were, "They're coming." After his death, Jacob appeared to Hurley as a ghost, giving instructions. He also appeared to Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley in bodily form, to explain the reason for them being on the Island, and Jack volunteered to take Jacob's place as protector of the Island. Less than a day later though, Hurley took over the duty of protecting the Island.
On the Island
Birth and origins
Jacob and The Man in Black shortly after their birth. ("Across the Sea")
Jacob is the fraternal twin of The Man in Black and the first-born of Claudia, who survived a shipwreck on The Island and was a Latin speaker. The woman who he called Mother is the mid-wife who delivered the two boys. After the second child was born, she apologized to Claudia and killed her.
Classical Roman era
Jacob and his brother discuss the game. ("Across the Sea")
Jacob and the Man in Black led a carefree life on the island and spent much of their time roaming the beaches. One day, the Man in Black found a blue box on the beach which contained a game. The Man in Black offered to play with Jacob, only if he doesn't tell their mother. They played, and Jacob returned to Mother, and immediately told her of the Man in Black's game, lacking any talent for lying.
Later, Jacob and the Man in Black saw three men hunting in the woods. They confronted Mother and demanded an explanation because she had told them they were the only three people on the island. Mother admitted to them that there were other people, evil people, living on the other side of the island, but they should never reveal themselves to these people. She told the boys they are not like these men because they are "here for a reason".
Both boys insisted on knowing the reason, so Mother blindfolded them and brought them to a cave with a stream running into it. The cave emitted a golden glowing light. Mother told the boys this was the reason they were on the island. She told them they must never enter the cave, and that a small amount of this light is inside every man, but they always want more. Mother told them she protects the light, but soon it will be one of them that will protect it.
Jacob argues with his twin. ("Across the Sea")
Some time after, the boys played Senet. Jacob made a move and the Man in Black told him he couldn't make it because it was against the rules. He said that one day Jacob could make up his own game and then everyone would have to follow his rules. Claudia appeared to the Man in Black, but, according to Claudia, Jacob couldn't see her because she was dead. The Man in Black left Jacob to follow her.
Jacob and Mother make their peace when his twin leaves. ("Across the Sea")
Later that night, the Man in Black woke Jacob up and urged him to go with him and join the people in the village. He tried to explain to Jacob that these people were their people and that Mother lied about everything, she didn't love them and "is not even our Mother". Jacob cracked and hit the the Man in Black in the face several times. Mother came and separated them as Jacob, being the truthful one, cried out that his brother was leaving and going to the other people. The Man in Black pleaded for Jacob to come with him, but Jacob chose not to.
Jacob joined Mother on the beach after the Man in Black left. She admitted to killing his real mother and explained that had Claudia lived, she would have taken the boys back to the bad people and Mother needed Jacob to stay good. Jacob asked her if he was really good and she said, "Yes, of course you are." Jacob asked why she loved his brother more, and she said she loved each of them in different ways. Jacob agreed to stay with her.
Adult life
Thirty years later, Jacob still lived with Mother. He often watched the Man in Black on the other side of the island and often still played Senet with him. One day, he saw him working on a project. Jacob went down to his brother, and they talked over a game of Senet. The Man in Black revealed to Jacob that he had found a way off the island. He said he had found places on the island where metal behaved strangely. Once again, the Man in Black asked Jacob to join him, but Jacob said the island was his home and he wasn't leaving.
Jacob drags his brother to The Source. ("Across the Sea")
Jacob returned to Mother and told her his brother had found a way to leave. She left to go see him. When she returned, she took Jacob to the cave. She told Jacob that he is going to protect it now. Jacob asked her what is inside it and she said, "Life, death, rebirth, it's the source, the heart of the island." She asked him to promise that he will never go down there because doing so would be much worse than dying. She poured some wine from a flask and offered it to Jacob, saying that, in drinking the wine, he accepts the responsibility of protecting the island for as long as he can and then finding a replacement. At first, Jacob was unwilling and saddened at becoming the successor by default, because she had always favored his brother. She admitted she was wrong and it should have been him all along. Jacob drank the wine, and presumably became ageless, as Mother claimed they were now "the same."
Jacob and Mother returned home and they noticed a storm was coming. Mother sent Jacob to get firewood and told him to be careful. When Jacob returned and saw his brother had killed Mother, he attacked him as he did when they were thirteen years old. He dragged his brother through the jungle. As he was being dragged, the Man in Black reminded Jacob that he cannot kill him. Jacob responded that he had no intention of killing him. He brought him to The Source and threw him down the stream towards the mouth of the cave. Jacob watched as his brother was sucked into the Source. Moments later, the Smoke Monster burst out from the cave and disappeared into the jungle. Jacob washed himself at a stream and spotted his brother's body draped over branches nearby. He tearfully hugged him. Jacob carried the body back home and took the two pieces from his brother's Senet set, one black and one white, and placed them in a small bag. He laid Mother and the Man in Black's bodies' side by side, with the pouch. ("Across the Sea")
1867
Jacob talks with his brother. ("The Incident, Part 1")
Jacob was living on the Island in a hidden chamber beneath the statue of Taweret. Here he worked on the production of a tapestry. One morning, as Jacob ate breakfast outside the statue, the Man in Black approached him. The two had a short conversation while watching a ship some distance off the Island. The Man in Black accused Jacob of bringing the ship to the Island in a further attempt to prove him wrong, to which Jacob merely replied: "You are wrong." The man asked Jacob if he was aware how badly he wanted to kill him. Later, the man declared he would find a "loophole" and be able to accomplish the deed. Jacob replied by saying when that day came the Man in Black would know where to find him. ("The Incident, Part 1")
Jacob explains the function of the Island to Richard. ("Ab Aeterno")
When Richard Alpert arrived on the Island aboard the Black Rock a few days later, he first encountered the Man in Black, who told Richard, Jacob was the Devil. The Man in Black also claimed, Jacob had stolen his body. The Man in Black asked Richard to kill Jacob. Richard agreed and went out to find and kill Jacob, armed with a knife provided by the Man in Black and forewarned to strike before Jacob could speak. After a brief and violent confrontation, Jacob refuted the Man in Black's claims. He portrayed the Island as a cork which stoppers a jug of wine, the wine representing evil that could escape to the world. He also revealed, he has brought many people to the Island, all of whom had died. While not offering specifics on their fates, Jacob lamented, he expected any of those people to be able to discern between good and evil without his intervention. Jacob offered Richard a role as his representative to new people that Jacob would bring to the Island, allowing him a level of anonymous intervention.
Jacob handsthe Man in Black "something to pass the time". ("Ab Aeterno")
In exchange, he told Richard, he could have a gift. Jacob touched Richard, conveying an ability to remain ageless and to live forever. Later, Richard returned to the Man in Black to say, he couldn't do what he agreed to and gave him a white rock, a gift from Jacob.
Shortly after, Jacob approached the Man in Black and handed him the wine bottle he used to describe the Island to Richard. He asked the Man in Black if he had sent Richard to kill him. The Man in Black told Jacob, he only wanted to leave the Island and requested Jacob let him go. Jacob replied, as long as he was alive that would not happen. The Man in Black declared he would kill Jacob, to which Jacob replied that someone would replace him. The Man in Black responded that he would just kill them too. Jacob then took his leave, saying he would see the Man in Black later, to which the Man in Black replied "sooner than you think". ("Ab Aeterno")
When Jacob speaks with Richard, he says he has been bringing people to the Island for many years and the people he'd brought are now all dead. Jacob claims the nature of his bringing these people is a test to determine whether or not they can make the right choices. Richard tells Jacob he should intervene and help them, because otherwise, the Man in Black will. It is unclear how long Jacob had been doing this.
Off the Island (1976–2007)
Jacob gives young James Ford a pen. ("The Incident, Part 1")
Knowing that the Man in Black could one day bring about his death, Jacob began searching for Candidates, one of which would succeed him in his role on the Island following his death - and hopefully bring about his brother's own end. Jacob deliberately chose people, who were all flawed, people he thought were like him because they were alone, looking for something that they could not find. He chose them because they needed the Island as much as the Island needed them. He would also apparently approach key allies, though not candidates themselves, who would assist him in this task. ("What They Died For")
In 1976, Jacob visited a young James Ford at the funeral of Mr. Ford and Mary Ford. He spoke briefly with James and gave him a pen, brushing Sawyer's fingers as he did so. The pen was then used by Sawyer as he finished Sawyer's letter.
Sometime in the late 1980s, Jacob visited a convenience store in Iowa where he witnessed a young Kate and Tom Brennan being caught attempting to steal a lunchbox. Jacob offered to pay for the lunchbox, and instructed Kate to "be good" before tapping her playfully on the nose.
In the early 1990s, Dogen was injured in a car accident while driving drunk. This car accident seriously injured his son. While in the hospital, Dogen was visited by Jacob. Jacob then told Dogen, he could save his son; as long as Dogen came to the Island to accept a job for Jacob, and never see his son again. Dogen accepted the offer, and would go on to become the leader of the group of Others who reside in the Temple.("Sundown")
Jacob offers Jack his Apollo candy bar. ("The Incident, Part 1")
Following an accident during his first major surgery, Jack attempted to purchase an Apollo Candy bar but was thwarted by the stuck vending machine. After a brief argument with his father, Jack was approached by Jacob. Jacob had purchased the next bar -- freeing the one Jack left behind. Jacob inquired if this bar belonged to Jack and handed it over, as he brushed Jack's fingers, and said: "Maybe it just needed a little push."
Jacob congratulates Jin and Sun at their wedding.("The Incident, Part 1")
Jacob was waiting in the reception line after Jin and Sun's wedding. Jacob addressed the newly married couple in Korean, wishing them the best in their marriage, telling them never to take each other for granted, and touched both of them on their arms in an embrace. Confused as to Jacob's identity, both Jin and Sun watched him depart. Jin remarked that Jacob's Korean was excellent.
Jacob reassures a crippled Locke. ("The Incident, Part 2")
In 2000, Jacob sat on a bench outside an apartment complex reading Flannery O'Connor's Everything That Rises Must Converge moments before John Locke was pushed out of a window by his father, suffering the accident that broke his back. Rising casually, Jacob walked over to Locke's fallen body and gently squeezed Locke's shoulder, saying: "I'm sorry this happened to you." Locke's eyes opened, staring uncomprehendingly at Jacob as he turned and walked away.
Shortly after the destruction of the Kahana freighter and the Island moving at the end of 2004, Jacob went to meet the former leader of the Others, Charles Widmore on the mainland. With the Kahana expedition, Widmore had hoped to remove Benjamin Linus as leader of the Others and have everyone else on the Island killed. Jacob apparently told Widmore about his conflict with the Man in Black, the necessity of bringing candidates to the Island and Widmore's son-in-law Desmond Hume being a 'fail-safe' should all of the candidates be killed. Seeing the error of his ways, Widmore then began using his resources to work towards helping Jacob and the candidates, as well as locating the Island again with the intention of going there to lead an expedition himself.("What They Died For") Widmore was also given a list by Jacob of the candidates. ("The Candidate")
Jacob watches with Sayid as Nadia is hit by a car. ("The Incident, Part 2")
In 2005, Sayid and his wife, Nadia, were walking three blocks from the intersection of North La Brea Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, discussing how to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. As they crossed the street, Nadia was rummaging in her purse and Sayid was stopped by Jacob, who asked him for directions. While out in the middle of the crosswalk, Nadia turned to tell Sayid, she had found her sunglasses and was hit and killed by a car which then fled the scene of the accident. As Sayid looked on in horror, Jacob pats him on the shoulder, looking solemn, but otherwise completely calm.
Around 2007, Ilana, injured and heavily bandaged, laid on a bed in a Russian hospital. She was visited by Jacob, whom she recognized. He spoke to her in Russian initially before changing to English. He asked that she protect the six remaining candidates, to which she assented. ("The Incident, Part 1") ("The Incident, Part 2") ("Ab Aeterno") Though he did not make physical contact with her on screen, the continuation of their conversation revealed Ilana to, suddenly, be apparently without bandages and healed of her injuries. ("Ab Aeterno")
Jacob then visited Charles Widmore and told him he had to return to the Island. ("What They Died For")
Jacob instructs Hurley to board Ajira Flight 316. ("The Incident, Part 2")
Sometime in late 2007, Hurley was released from Los Angeles County Jail and immediately went into a taxi. When he got in, Hurley noticed Jacob in the back seat with a guitar case next to him. Stating he would only be going a few blocks, Jacob offered to share the cab with Hurley. Engaging in conversation with Hurley, Jacob asked why he wouldn't return to the Island. He suggested, Hurley's "curse" of seeing dead people might actually be looked upon as a blessing instead; "Being able to continue to communicate with those we've lost is a gift", Jacob said. Jacob informed Hurley, in order to return to the Island, he needs to be on board Ajira Flight 316, which was departing in 24 hours. Jacob then emphasized, it is Hurley's choice, and touched him on the chest. As Jacob stepped out of the cab, Hurley called to him telling him, he had forgotten his guitar. Before departing, Jacob responded: "It's not my guitar." ("The Incident, Part 1") ("The Incident, Part 2")
On the Island (2007)
Death
In 2007, after the crash of Ajira Airways Flight 316, the seemingly resurrected Locke revealed his plans to kill Jacob. The false Locke told Ben, this task would not be easy, but after Jacob's death "things will change." With Richard's help, Locke and Ben entered the hidden chamber in the foot of the statue to find Jacob sitting in an old rocking chair. Jacob recognized Locke immediately as his supernatural brother and noting, this man had "found his loophole."
Jacob falls against Ben after being stabbed and touches Ben's arm. ("The Incident, Part 2")
| “ |
MAN IN BLACK: Hello Jacob. |
” |
In a brief but tense conversation, Jacob told Ben, he had a choice before him: to follow through on "Locke's" instructions or to leave. An emotional Ben confronted Jacob - asking why he had been ignored by Jacob for so many years on the Island. "What about me?" Ben asks. Jacob gravely looked back at Ben, and said quietly: "What about you?" Ben's temper flared and he responded by stabbing Jacob brutally twice in the chest. According to Miles, up until the moment Ben had stabbed him, Jacob was hoping that he was "wrong" about Ben. ("Dr. Linus") At this point, Jacob collapsed onto Ben and touched his arm. Dropping to his knees and coughing up blood, Jacob warned his brother: "They're coming." His brother looked slightly alarmed, then kicked Jacob into the fire pit, which immediately set him completely ablaze. ("The Incident, Part 2") Only a few moments later, there appeared to be no trace of his body other than ashes. ("LA X, Part 1")
Post-death
Jacob gives Hurley further instructions. ("LA X, Part 1")
An hour after his murder, Jacob appeared to Hurley in the jungle. Although Hurley recognized Jacob from their previous encounter off the Island, he was unaware of Jacob's identity. Jacob informed Hurley of his death, attributing it to an "old friend who had grown tired of my company." Seeing Sayid dying nearby, Jacob told Hurley, he must be taken to the Temple if he was to be saved. Jacob further noted, the survivors would be safe there. Although Hurley did not know where the Temple was, Jacob assured him, Jin did, and told Hurley to mention the science expedition. He then reminded Hurley to bring the guitar case. Upon Jin's arrival, Hurley could no longer see Jacob. ("LA X, Part 1")
Later, Hurley informed Dogen and Lennon of Jacob's death, who leaped into action and began fortifying and securing the Temple. Several Others were observed creating ash circles around the periphery, indicating knowledge of the Man in Black and understanding they were under threat. A signal flare was set off alerting the remaining Others at the statue of Taweret. ("LA X, Part 2")
The Man in Black first sees a mysterious blonde boy with bloody arms in the jungle. ("The Substitute")
Jacob, in the form of his younger self and with his arms and hands covered in blood, appeared before Richard and the Man in Black (in the form of Locke). Richard said he did not see the boy. Shortly afterward, the Man in Black, accompanied by Sawyer, encountered the boy again. Unlike Richard, Sawyer claimed to see the boy. The boy ran away from the two of them, and the Man in Black gave chase. He tripped, fell, and looked up at the boy, who said to him, "You know the rules. You can't kill him." The Man in Black became agitated, screaming "Don't tell me what I can't do!"
Upon the Man in Black's return from his chasing of the boy, Sawyer asked him about the kid, to which he simply replied, "What kid?" ("The Substitute")
Jacob appears to Hurley at the Temple. ("Lighthouse")
Later, Ilana collected some of Jacob's ashes upon entering the statue. ("The Substitute")
On entering the pool room at the Temple, Hurley again encountered Jacob, who instructed him to take Jack to the lighthouse. At the lighthouse, after Jack had destroyed the signal mirror, Jacob appeared a third time, informing Hurley he had wanted Jack brought here as there is something important on the Island that he had to do. Jacob also informed Hurley he had wanted the two of them removed from the Temple as something very bad was about to happen there. Hurley wanted to go back to warn the people at the Temple, but Jacob told him it was already too late. ("Lighthouse")
The boy appears again when the Man in Black and Desmond are walking through the jungle. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")
Following Ilana's death at the beach camp, Hurley searches through her belongings and finds the pouch containing Jacob's ashes. He then takes the ashes into his possession. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")
Sometime later, Jacob as a boy, though with noticeably darker hair, was seen again by the Man in Black and Desmond. Desmond asked who the boy was, but the Man in Black, seemingly agitated, and this time walking away, told Desmond to ignore him. Desmond turned to look at the boy again, and the boy smiled. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")
He appeared as a boy once more to Hurley, demanding that Hurley give him the ashes. Once Hurley took them out, he snatched them and ran. By the time Hurley caught up, Jacob appeared as an adult, next to a fire, which he had thrown his ashes in. Hurley gathered Jack, Kate and Sawyer and brought them to Jacob.
Jacob greets his candidates for the last time.
The four of them were able to see Jacob this time. He apologized to Kate, who blamed him choosing Candidates for the deaths of their friends on the submarine. Jacob told them that he made a mistake, which made the monster the way he is and explained the reason for the Candidates. Sawyer asked why he should have to suffer for Jacob's mistake when he was doing just fine until Jacob interfered with his life. Jacob pointed out that none of them had happy lives, they were all flawed, which is why he chose them, because they were all like him, alone looking for something that they couldn't find. Jack understood that he wanted them to kill the monster. Hurley asked, how he was going to choose, which one of them was to succeed, but Jacob left them the choice. Jack offered to do it, so Jacob took him to a creek and told him the location of the Source, which Jack must protect. He recited an incantation and got Jack to take a drink of water, which made Jack like him. ("What They Died For")
When Jack makes Hurley the Island protector less then a day later, Hurley later worries about having to keep people from leaving the Island - such as Desmond. However, Ben reminds him that's how Jacob ran things and Hurley can do it differently. ("The End")
Character
Jacob remained unseen until the end of season 5. The Others always talked about him to know how to act, but kept his nature and motives secret.
When he was young (and before being ageless), Jacob followed his Mother's lead and accepted all her orders. He was jealous of his brother whom she preferred, yet proved to like him before (and even after) they became rivals. He was also emotional, which lead him to accidently turn his twin into the monster.
Years later, for unrevealed reasons, Jacob’s character changed drastically. He became cool-headed, self-confident and somewhat powerful. He apparently wants to show his nemesis that men are not as corrupt and bad as Mother said. His motives, his plan and what he expects from the survivors are yet to be revealed. With the exception of Richard when he met him, Jacob was polite and friendly to the few people he interacted with. He isn’t emotional anymore, so it is impossible to tell whether he feels true empathy for them.
References to Jacob
While unseen until the final episode of Season Five, Jacob has been a significant behind-the-scenes presence through much of the series, his existence being mentioned, though unnamed, as early as Season Two ("Two for the Road"). Jacob appears to command a great respect among the Others who look to him as a leader who is both adored and feared. Both Mikhail and Ben referred to Jacob as a "great", "brilliant", and "magnificent" man. Jacob has also been referred to as "powerful" and "unforgiving." ("Two for the Road") Occasionally members of the Others have been seen to invoke Jacob's name as an excuse for carrying out certain actions. Jacob is sometimes referred to as "Him."
Jacob does not appear to communicate directly with the Others. Instead he provides instructions or lists he has drawn up for a few select individuals who then relay his commands to the rest of the Others. Richard Alpert implies that Jacob has some way of summoning these select individuals to him, yet insists He never tells anyone what to do. Meetings with him are typically conducted alone and only at Jacob's request. Many of the Others do not know where Jacob resides on the Island. ("The Man Behind the Curtain") ("Follow the Leader") ("The Incident, Part 1")
Notable references
Jacob's name appears in the Room 23 video.
- Locke tells Richard Alpert, he was sent by Jacob when they meet in 1954 - although he was being less than truthful. ("Jughead")
- Richard Alpert tells a younger Charles Widmore, Jacob wanted the young Ben saved at the Temple. ("Dead Is Dead")
- Ben uses Jacob's name as an excuse for saving baby Alex from death. ("Dead Is Dead")
- Richard notes, his agelessness is a gift from Jacob. ("The Incident, Part 1")
- Ben tells Juliet, Jacob was able to heal her sister's cancer. ("One of Us")
- Ben implies he was sent by Jacob on a mission to bring Locke back to the Others when he was captured by Danielle Rousseau. ("Two for the Road")
- Ben tells Juliet, Jacob wanted Walt in Room 23. ("Room 23")
- During a conversation between some Others, one of Jacob's lists was mentioned by Danny Pickett, who stated, Jack was not on it. ("I Do")
- Jacob's name appears in the Room 23 video. ("Not in Portland")
- On arriving at the Temple, Hurley explains, they were sent by Jacob. ("LA X, Part 1")
Jacob's cabin
A figure seen in Jacob's cabin ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
In Season 3, Benjamin Linus took John Locke to see Jacob at a cabin deep in the jungle. Before arriving at the cabin, Locke discovers a ring of ash surrounding the perimeter. This ash appears identical to that used by the Others to protect the Temple from the Man in Black in Season 6. ("The Man Behind the Curtain") ("LA X, Part 2")
On entering, Ben and Locke found the room initially appeared empty, but as Locke prepared to leave the Cabin, he heard a voice whisper, "Help me." Angry and believing Ben was deceiving him, Locke turned on his flashlight. Immediately the cabin began to shake, jars of liquid flew across the room and the lamp was knocked over and set aflame. Ben grabbed an apparently empty rocking chair, telling "Jacob", he had had his fun and needed to stop, before he was thrown against the wall by a mysterious force. In looking back across the room, Locke briefly observed a shadowy figure with shaggy hair and tattered clothing sitting in the chair. ("The Man Behind the Curtain") Ben later confessed, he had never seen Jacob in all his time as leader of the Others. He explained to Locke, he had been putting on an elaborate deception at the cabin but was just as surprised as Locke when the chaos erupted. ("The Incident, Part 1")
A figure appearing to be the deceased Christian Shephard has been observed on several occasions in Jacob's cabin. In "The Beginning of the End" Hurley witnessed Christian in the cabin, along with another unidentified individual. Later, upon returning to the cabin in "Cabin Fever", Locke encountered Christian, who told him his task was to move the Island. On this same occasion Christian claimed he could speak on Jacob's behalf. Moments later, Locke discovered Claire was also present, sitting in a dark corner and seeming unconcerned about Aaron's whereabouts.
In "The Incident, Part 1", Ilana also stated, "he" (presumably Jacob) has not lived in the cabin for a very long time. "Someone else has been using it." Later, in "The Last Recruit", the Man in Black told Jack, he had taken the form of Christian at least once before; this further implies, the Man of Black may have simply been pretending to speak for Jacob in order to manipulate Locke.
Jacob's touch
In "Dr. Linus", Richard states, if a person is touched by Jacob, it is considered a gift. In Richard's case, Jacob somehow bestowed upon him the ability to remain ageless and effectively immortal, and unable to die by his own hand. Richard tells Jack, he could kill him, however. In "The Substitute" the Man in Black describes an ability of Jacob that can somehow change an individual's destiny or "push" them onto a specific path - in the case of the Candidates a path which brought them to the Island.
The only individuals that have been seen to have been touched by Jacob in the series are: Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Jack, Sayid, Hurley, Richard, Ben and Sun & Jin, together
Jacob falls against Ben after being stabbed and touches Ben's arm. ("The Incident, Part 2")
- Jacob was not observed to touch Ilana when they met at the hospital.
- In the Lost: On Location special feature on the season 5 DVD, Carlton Cuse notes this fact, while Damon Lindelof questions whether Jacob touched everyone he met.
- In the flashback presented in "Ab Aeterno", Ilana quickly goes from injured and heavily bandaged to apparently healed and sitting upright in bed, implying Jacob healed her between scenes.
- It is unknown how much time has passed between these two scenes.
As seen in "Ab Aeterno", Jacob first engages in fisticuffs with Richard before he discusses giving him a gift. After Richard declares he wants to live forever Jacob reaches over and grasps Richard's shoulder. This indicates, Jacob's touch bestows a gift only when it is his intent. Richard is also wrapped in a blanket over his clothes, which indicates, Jacob's touch is not affected by layers of clothing.
Candidates
Some of the names on the cave wall ("The Substitute")
According to the Man in Black, Jacob spent many years selecting and reviewing "candidates" to replace him as guardian of the Island. In the episode What They Died For Jacob tells Sawyer that he chose all of them because they were all flawed and possesed traits like his. In "The Substitute," the Man in Black brought Sawyer to the cliffside cave and directed his attention to the surnames of many individuals scrawled across the walls and ceiling. Each surname had been assigned a unique number, and the majority of the surnames had been crossed out. The Man in Black identified these names as a list of Jacob's candidates, both former and remaining. Only six of the names were not crossed out: Ford, Shephard, Reyes, Jarrah, Kwon and Locke. Each of those six names corresponded with one of the numbers. The Man in Black crossed out Locke's name as he spoke to Sawyer ("The Substitute"), as Locke's death likely terminated his candidacy.
In the lighthouse, there is a list of surnames that is almost exactly the same as the list in the cave. The lighthouse list is written in a circle around a compass rose. Though the compass rose was not shown in its entirety, it is likely that a surname was assigned to each of the compass bearings, which would result in a list of 360 individuals overall. The majority of the surnames in the lighthouse were crossed out, just as they were in the cave. The names Ford, Shephard, Reyes, Jarrah, and Kwon were not crossed out in the lighthouse, as was the case in the cave. However, unlike in the cave, the name Austen was not crossed out, and Locke's name was not revealed. ("Lighthouse")
- In "Dr. Linus," Ilana stated that there were only six candidates remaining.
- In "The Candidate," Sawyer told Kate that he saw her surname on the cave wall, and that it was crossed out.
Trivia
General
- Jacob was the thirtieth character to ever have a flashback.
- The translation for "Jacob" in Hebrew is "he who holds by the heels". Jacob lives inside the foot of a statue.
- In the Bible, Jacob is also known as Israel, which can be translated into "he who fights with God".
- As of the Across The Sea, Jacob has the biggest number of centric episodes among supporting characters. Moreover, he has more episodes centered around him than following main characters: Frank, Charlotte, Nikki, Paulo, Boone, Ilana, Richard, Daniel, Miles, Ana Lucia, Walt, Shannon, The Man in Black and as many as Mr. Eko.
- Jacob's episode count is 11 (as of "What They Died For"), although he may also have had an appearance in "The Man Behind the Curtain" and "The Beginning of the End". A mysterious individual, whose identity is now in question, was observed in the latter two episodes. These mysterious appearances were not portrayed by Mark Pellegrino.
- Ben claims in "The Man Behind the Curtain" that Jacob does not like technology, and Jacob has been seen to make use of only simple mechanical devices.
- Jacob says the words "I'm sorry" to about half the characters he meets off-Island: Sawyer (in reference to his parents' deaths), Ilana (an apology for not arriving sooner), Sayid (introducing a request for help), and John (in sympathy). He does not say these words to Kate, Sun, Jin, Jack, or Hurley.
- Out of the main characters, Jacob has been shown to have met Richard, Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sun, Jin, Sayid, Hurley, Ilana, Ben, the Man in Black, and Locke.
- In the ABC episode recap for "The Incident, Part 1", Jacob is referred to as the "Man in White". [1]
- In ABC's official recaps he was referred to as "the spiritual guru of the Island" and "a spiritual presence that has been on the island for centuries".
- The clip show "Lost: Final Chapter" referred to the Island as "His home" and as being "in his command". It further confirmed that the conflict between him the Man in Black had rules preventing them from "harming one another".
- In an interview Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse gave to Entertainment Weekly's Jeff Jensen and Dan Snierson prior to the Season 5 finale, Lindelof noted that the episode would be very "touching", a reference to Jacob notably touching the Oceanic 815 survivors when he crosses paths with them.
- In November 2009, executive producer Damon Lindelof stated that, regarding the scene in "Pilot, Part 2" where Locke explains to Walt the premise of backgammon using the concept of light and dark, he and fellow co-creator J.J. Abrams had planned for those two sides to eventually be personified by two individuals (in reference to Jacob and the Man in Black). [2]
- The Man In Black referred to Jacob as "the Devil", interestingly, Mark Pellegrino (Jacob) currently plays the Devil in the show "Supernatural". One of the current storylines is about the protagonists trying to imprison the Devil again, using rings the Four Horsemen wear, one of which, War, is played by Titus Welliver (The Man In Black). In this show, the Devil is the god of all demon-kind, who's true forms are that of electromagnetic clouds of black smoke emanating light.
- In the opening scene in which Jacob was spinning thread for his tapestry, it is briefly shown that he is wearing Nomadic brand sandals. ("The Incident, Part 1") [source needed]
- Jacob is one of the six characters to have a flashback on his first appearance. The other five are Jack, Frank, Miles, Charlotte and Juliet. He is also the second of only two characters to have a centric episode on his first appearance, the first being Jack in "Pilot, Part 1".
- After Jacob's departure, Hurley kept the guitar case, and brought it with him on Ajira Flight 316. The guitar case also traveled with him to 1977. It contained Jacob's ankh, within which was hidden what Dogen implies is a list of the candidates. ("LA X, Part 2")
- Jacob is a gifted polyglot. He is able to speak and understand Korean, English, Russian, Latin, and Japanese. He probably understands the Greek text and the Egyptian hieroglyphs written on his tapestry as well.
- Jacob came to the Island about two millenia ago, meaning he was alive at the same time as Jesus Christ. ("Across the Sea")
- Jacob was the longest living man ever, reaching the age of over 2000.
- According to Zuleikha Robinson, Ilana was originally going to be Jacob's actual daughter. However, this was cut from the backstory of Jacob due to a lack of time. [3] ABC has denied this, however.
Production notes
- Jacob was confirmed to be "him" in the 3/20/07 Official Lost Podcast.
- When Jacob finally was cast for "The Incident, Parts 1 & 2" 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..."[1]
Additional casting
- Kenton Duty played the role of young Jacob (age 13) in "The Substitute", "Everybody Loves Hugo", "Across the Sea", and "What They Died For"
- The casting call for "The Substitute" described him as "Teenage boy, Caucasian, 12-14. Dirty blond hair. Wise beyond his years. He's got intense, searching eyes. He's dealt with a horrible family accident. Even at a young age, he has been put in charge of something very important, and it weighs heavily on his shoulders."[2]
See also
- Jacob's cabin
- Jacob's chamber
- Jacob's faction
- Jacob's knife
- Jacob's nemesis
- Jacob's painting
- Jacob's tapestry
- Jacob's lighthouse
- Jacob's ankh
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Jacob/Theories
General
- What powers or abilities did he possess?
- Where did his powers come from?
- How did Jacob possess foreknowledge of events to come?
- How did Jacob keep the Man In Black on the Island?
History
- What was Jacob's relationship with Ilana?
References
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