“The Man Behind the Curtain” is perhaps the most critical episode of season 3 for it offers a glimpse into the island’s link between past and future worlds (we have been speculating for some time now that the island’s magnetic field has created some type of time portal). In this episode, Ben takes Locke to meet Jacob for the first time. The question we all ask is who is Jacob? Some viewers hypothesize that Jacob is Locke’s future self, but what hasn’t been touched upon is that Jacob, a.k.a. Locke may have the ability to course correct “future” events, or the events which have occurred in the season finale. (Note: many viewers have also commented on the striking resemblance between Locke and Jacob in the screen shots in “The Man Behind the Curtain”)
Let’s fast forward to the season finale where we come into contact with Jack’s possible future. We are led to believe that the LOST camp has been rescued by Naomi’s ship, but is this really the situation? Are we to believe that this warped reality is their ultimate destiny?
Now back to “The Man Behind the Curtain” episode when Ben and Locke are in Jacob’s home – to reiterate my hypothesis, Jacob is Locke’s future self, the man whom Ben has been communicating with, but has been unaware of his real identity, Locke. Ben is also unaware of Locke’s ability to alter future events. How is Locke able to alter events? He has unlocked the secret to traveling between past and future worlds, i.e., the lost world we know, and the world which we are introduced to in Jack’s flash forward scenes in the season finale.
I theorize that while many people were rescued from the island, including Ben which I believe to be the body in the casket in the season finale, that Locke is able to evade rescuing. We know that Locke will do everything in his power to stay on that island. Therefore, Locke never left the island, but instead has been residing there after that fateful day, trying to find ways to communicate with his past world and change the events which have led Jack, Kate and the others to be taken from the island.
Interestingly, when Ben “introduces” Locke to “Jacob”, Locke can hear “Jacob’s” plea for help, but is unable to see him since seeing your future self could create a time paradox. So you may wonder, why is “Jacob” reaching out to himself? It is his mission to prevent Naomi’s rescue ship from reaching the island. If “Jacob” is somehow successful at preventing these events from occurring then in it’s possible that in Season 4 we will find that Charlie hasn’t died, and that Jack’s “flash forward” future is nullified. At some point, Jacob will have the ability to communicate and correct his failed attempt to reach out to himself in that meeting in “The Man Behind the Curtain”. Just one shift in event could create a chain reaction and ultimately prevent Naomi’s ship from rescuing people off of the island. So, I conclude that the “man behind the curtain” is not Ben, but in fact Locke, the puppet master behind Jacob.
Theory by Jessica
Let’s fast forward to the season finale where we come into contact with Jack’s possible future. We are led to believe that the LOST camp has been rescued by Naomi’s ship, but is this really the situation? Are we to believe that this warped reality is their ultimate destiny?
Now back to “The Man Behind the Curtain” episode when Ben and Locke are in Jacob’s home – to reiterate my hypothesis, Jacob is Locke’s future self, the man whom Ben has been communicating with, but has been unaware of his real identity, Locke. Ben is also unaware of Locke’s ability to alter future events. How is Locke able to alter events? He has unlocked the secret to traveling between past and future worlds, i.e., the lost world we know, and the world which we are introduced to in Jack’s flash forward scenes in the season finale.
I theorize that while many people were rescued from the island, including Ben which I believe to be the body in the casket in the season finale, that Locke is able to evade rescuing. We know that Locke will do everything in his power to stay on that island. Therefore, Locke never left the island, but instead has been residing there after that fateful day, trying to find ways to communicate with his past world and change the events which have led Jack, Kate and the others to be taken from the island.
Interestingly, when Ben “introduces” Locke to “Jacob”, Locke can hear “Jacob’s” plea for help, but is unable to see him since seeing your future self could create a time paradox. So you may wonder, why is “Jacob” reaching out to himself? It is his mission to prevent Naomi’s rescue ship from reaching the island. If “Jacob” is somehow successful at preventing these events from occurring then in it’s possible that in Season 4 we will find that Charlie hasn’t died, and that Jack’s “flash forward” future is nullified. At some point, Jacob will have the ability to communicate and correct his failed attempt to reach out to himself in that meeting in “The Man Behind the Curtain”. Just one shift in event could create a chain reaction and ultimately prevent Naomi’s ship from rescuing people off of the island. So, I conclude that the “man behind the curtain” is not Ben, but in fact Locke, the puppet master behind Jacob.
Theory by Jessica
