I admittedly don't have much evidence to support this theory. Rather, I think it's just an interesting idea that happens to fit some of the facts. Here goes.
Basically, Jacob has been again and again reincarnated. Or alternatively, the same Jacob merely "takes" new bodies as vessels.
We know next to nothing about Jacob. He appeared (for the most part) invisible to John Locke. He (according to Ben) has the ability to cure cancer, and presumably other ailments. He is referred to in an almost cult like fashion as "A great man". Clearly, he's not an average human being.
I believe that Jacob was at one point in time an ordinary man. He was born, he lived, maybe he even died. However, at some point Jacob clearly gained supernatural powers and attributes. Perhaps the man we saw a glimpse of in the cabin is the "original" Jacob. However, that person died or was in some other way transformed. Maybe the vision we saw in the cabin was only a spirit or soul of Jacob.
I wonder if that invisible being we only briefly saw was a temporary phase for Jacob. He lost his host somehow and was therefore confined to the Cabin until a new body could be found. Maybe this is why Jacob appeared to not be at home when Locke visited the Cabin a second time. Perhaps Jacob is now (in the 2004-8 timeline) hosted in a new body and is no longer trapped ("Help me").
Maybe this explains why the Others are so obsessed with children. Yes, they did need to take children (like the two they took from the tail section) merely to replenish their ranks. But clearly they assigned a much higher priority to others, like Walt and Aaron, and young John Locke. Perhaps they are "looking for" Jacob. Because they were clearly special (like Walt) or because they were born on the island (like Aaron, Amy's baby.)
Take the test given to Young John Locke by Richard. I think we're all assuming it was a leadership test, but we also now how strongly it resembles the method used to identity what Tibetan Buddhists believe to be the Dalai Lama's reincarnation. Maybe Richard was looking for a reincarnation as well, of Jacob. Walt also referred to certain tests he was made to take while the Others held him.
We've all made speculations as to what character (if anyone) ends up being Jacob. Any guess (Locke, Sawyer, Jack, Christian) can be shot down for one reason or another. Maybe the ages just don't work out, maybe appearances don't match. This theory could explain how two Jacob's could look nothing alike, because they are two different physical bodies holding the same spirit.
Another example, I've read a lot of chatter about Amy's baby being Jacob. Obviously, the ages don't match. As a child born in 1977 cannot appear to be 70ish in 2004 (in the cabin). Perhaps that baby IS a Jacob, but not THE Jacob.
What if Ben's/The Others quest to solve the Island's infertility problem was actually about producing a baby to "host" Jacob. Maybe this is why Jacob was seemingly trapped, maybe this is why Aaron is so special, because he was born on the Island, perhaps a prerequisite for being Jacob.
Again, just a fun idea more than anything. Theory by Victor Gastineau
Basically, Jacob has been again and again reincarnated. Or alternatively, the same Jacob merely "takes" new bodies as vessels.
We know next to nothing about Jacob. He appeared (for the most part) invisible to John Locke. He (according to Ben) has the ability to cure cancer, and presumably other ailments. He is referred to in an almost cult like fashion as "A great man". Clearly, he's not an average human being.
I believe that Jacob was at one point in time an ordinary man. He was born, he lived, maybe he even died. However, at some point Jacob clearly gained supernatural powers and attributes. Perhaps the man we saw a glimpse of in the cabin is the "original" Jacob. However, that person died or was in some other way transformed. Maybe the vision we saw in the cabin was only a spirit or soul of Jacob.
I wonder if that invisible being we only briefly saw was a temporary phase for Jacob. He lost his host somehow and was therefore confined to the Cabin until a new body could be found. Maybe this is why Jacob appeared to not be at home when Locke visited the Cabin a second time. Perhaps Jacob is now (in the 2004-8 timeline) hosted in a new body and is no longer trapped ("Help me").
Maybe this explains why the Others are so obsessed with children. Yes, they did need to take children (like the two they took from the tail section) merely to replenish their ranks. But clearly they assigned a much higher priority to others, like Walt and Aaron, and young John Locke. Perhaps they are "looking for" Jacob. Because they were clearly special (like Walt) or because they were born on the island (like Aaron, Amy's baby.)
Take the test given to Young John Locke by Richard. I think we're all assuming it was a leadership test, but we also now how strongly it resembles the method used to identity what Tibetan Buddhists believe to be the Dalai Lama's reincarnation. Maybe Richard was looking for a reincarnation as well, of Jacob. Walt also referred to certain tests he was made to take while the Others held him.
We've all made speculations as to what character (if anyone) ends up being Jacob. Any guess (Locke, Sawyer, Jack, Christian) can be shot down for one reason or another. Maybe the ages just don't work out, maybe appearances don't match. This theory could explain how two Jacob's could look nothing alike, because they are two different physical bodies holding the same spirit.
Another example, I've read a lot of chatter about Amy's baby being Jacob. Obviously, the ages don't match. As a child born in 1977 cannot appear to be 70ish in 2004 (in the cabin). Perhaps that baby IS a Jacob, but not THE Jacob.
What if Ben's/The Others quest to solve the Island's infertility problem was actually about producing a baby to "host" Jacob. Maybe this is why Jacob was seemingly trapped, maybe this is why Aaron is so special, because he was born on the Island, perhaps a prerequisite for being Jacob.
Again, just a fun idea more than anything. Theory by Victor Gastineau
