My theory for why Richard appears ageless is this - the island is keeping him alive and in peak physical condition. We know the island has incredible healing powers, but seems to choose who has access to these. It also can seemingly resurrect, so why not keep somebody from aging? Many people would say that this is more possible then bringing somebody back from the dead.
Also, I think it MUST be the island's doing that he doesn't age, as what would be the chances of such an individual existing without the islands help AND then ending up on the island? Very slim, even for Lost? Probably.
So my theory is that he ends up on the island centuries ago, probably from the Black Rock crew, at the age that he appears to be now. He then finds himself transported to the future, perhaps 2008, and starts to do something of critical importance to the safety of the island. He is then brought back to the past before he can finish his important task for some reason. As he is the only person who can finish this task, he is kept alive by the island until that date when he can.
This would fit with the island keeping people alive until they have finished whatever task the island wants them to do. Also, we know people (Jack, Kate, Hurley) can be brought from the future to the past, seemingly at the will of the island, and we of course know people can travel to the future, again at the island's will.
As for the reason he couldn't finish the task in the future, maybe someone (the new Islanders?) was about to kill him, and the only way the island could save him was to bring him back to safety.
Anyway, theres my theory on Richard :)
Also, I think it MUST be the island's doing that he doesn't age, as what would be the chances of such an individual existing without the islands help AND then ending up on the island? Very slim, even for Lost? Probably.
So my theory is that he ends up on the island centuries ago, probably from the Black Rock crew, at the age that he appears to be now. He then finds himself transported to the future, perhaps 2008, and starts to do something of critical importance to the safety of the island. He is then brought back to the past before he can finish his important task for some reason. As he is the only person who can finish this task, he is kept alive by the island until that date when he can.
This would fit with the island keeping people alive until they have finished whatever task the island wants them to do. Also, we know people (Jack, Kate, Hurley) can be brought from the future to the past, seemingly at the will of the island, and we of course know people can travel to the future, again at the island's will.
As for the reason he couldn't finish the task in the future, maybe someone (the new Islanders?) was about to kill him, and the only way the island could save him was to bring him back to safety.
Anyway, theres my theory on Richard :)
