Jacob has successively used Jack and gang to CHANGE the time line. While "Black Shirt"/"Smokey"/"Esau" or whatever you want to call him was busy finding a loophole to kill Jacob, Jacob was also busy finding a loophole to fix or close Black Shirt's loophole. I bet we will find out in season six that by changing the time line Jacob will somehow be saved. Here is why I think the time line or loop has been changed. First off in the "normal" time line Dharma drills into the pocket of energy and that causes the incident which puts in motion all the events we have seen so far. In the past Jack and gang never throw the bomb into the hole...but this next (current) group of Jack and gang do throw the bomb into the hole. Why? What was the difference? The difference was Jacob interceding in their lives at special times.
Here is why I think the time line has changed....
1) In the first time line Dr. Marvin Candle looses his arm, in the new one he only hurts his hand.
2) This would explain why Mrs. Hawkins sends Daniel back to die. Because he is the one who comes up with the bomb idea and she believes it will work to change things. Why else would you send your son back to die over and over?
3) Jacob wasn't very concerned about dying. He knew with his "they are coming" comment that the time line has changed (thanks to him).
4) For the first time the "LOST" logo was black on a white background instead of white on a black background (change).
5) Jack's open eye at the very end represents a "new beginning"
What do you think?
Here is why I think the time line has changed....
1) In the first time line Dr. Marvin Candle looses his arm, in the new one he only hurts his hand.
2) This would explain why Mrs. Hawkins sends Daniel back to die. Because he is the one who comes up with the bomb idea and she believes it will work to change things. Why else would you send your son back to die over and over?
3) Jacob wasn't very concerned about dying. He knew with his "they are coming" comment that the time line has changed (thanks to him).
4) For the first time the "LOST" logo was black on a white background instead of white on a black background (change).
5) Jack's open eye at the very end represents a "new beginning"
What do you think?