Okay, this just occurred to me:
People have been speculating about Frank, and why Illana and Bram deem him a "candidate" or what they deem him a candidate for. I think the answer to "what" is actually quite simple and obvious. "Why" on the other hand, not so much.
What Frank is a candidate for, I believe, is an Other. Of all the people Illana and Bram asked "what lies in the shadow of the statue", only Richard knew the answer. Why? Because he's an other, and only an Other who was taught Latin would know the proper answer.
There's something about being an Other that assumes a certain amount of trust and respect between Others, and that's why Illana and Bram only showed Locke's corpse to Richard. Well, they showed it to Frank after deeming him a so-called "candidate", but that's because they saw something in him that told them he was Other material, and therefore trustworthy. What this means is that Illana and Bram are former Others who apparently left the Island for greener pastures, similar to Widmore and Eloise. What this also means is that Miles is probably a candidate for being an Other as well.
Another thing I thought about was way back in season 2 when the Tailies were being snatched up due to their being on some sort of "list". We later some some of these (Cindy, Zack, and Emma) in the Others' company, seemingly safe and content. We know Zack and Emma were on the list. Cindy apparently too, as she was taken later. They all became Others. They may have been considered "candidates" too.
Now, something interesting to consider is this: these people were being taken to become Others because someone put their names on a list. Presumably if Ben was being passed this list via Richard, the list could have been coming from either Jacob or MIB. Whoever it was, these people were being chosen due to certain merits of theirs (for Jacob it would likely be a good heart; for MIB it would likely be the ability to follow orders) which would make them valuable to whoever was controlling the others. Valuable as footsoldiers and pawns in a coming war. I think we'll find out in Season 6 who was recruiting them and why.
Back to the Others in general for a sec: I think there's something about being an Other that is extremely significant that we don't know about yet. We know that when they're indoctrinated as an Other they learn Latin and that they're clued-in to some Greater Good sort of collective mission which many Others follow strictly without question (Mikhail, Ryan, Ethan). I think that Otherness has to do with the Temple and what is contained behind those walls. There's something they learn that makes them fearless and entirely convinced in the rightness of their mission. They are willing to die in service of whatever it is makes the Island so special. I think the majority of Others only know so much, enough to keep them in line. The leader of the Others, however, knows more of the picture. We'll find out soon what they learn specifically that allows them to be several steps ahead of the game a la Ben, Widmore, and Hawking.
That's about it, I guess. First theory, with more to come!
People have been speculating about Frank, and why Illana and Bram deem him a "candidate" or what they deem him a candidate for. I think the answer to "what" is actually quite simple and obvious. "Why" on the other hand, not so much.
What Frank is a candidate for, I believe, is an Other. Of all the people Illana and Bram asked "what lies in the shadow of the statue", only Richard knew the answer. Why? Because he's an other, and only an Other who was taught Latin would know the proper answer.
There's something about being an Other that assumes a certain amount of trust and respect between Others, and that's why Illana and Bram only showed Locke's corpse to Richard. Well, they showed it to Frank after deeming him a so-called "candidate", but that's because they saw something in him that told them he was Other material, and therefore trustworthy. What this means is that Illana and Bram are former Others who apparently left the Island for greener pastures, similar to Widmore and Eloise. What this also means is that Miles is probably a candidate for being an Other as well.
Another thing I thought about was way back in season 2 when the Tailies were being snatched up due to their being on some sort of "list". We later some some of these (Cindy, Zack, and Emma) in the Others' company, seemingly safe and content. We know Zack and Emma were on the list. Cindy apparently too, as she was taken later. They all became Others. They may have been considered "candidates" too.
Now, something interesting to consider is this: these people were being taken to become Others because someone put their names on a list. Presumably if Ben was being passed this list via Richard, the list could have been coming from either Jacob or MIB. Whoever it was, these people were being chosen due to certain merits of theirs (for Jacob it would likely be a good heart; for MIB it would likely be the ability to follow orders) which would make them valuable to whoever was controlling the others. Valuable as footsoldiers and pawns in a coming war. I think we'll find out in Season 6 who was recruiting them and why.
Back to the Others in general for a sec: I think there's something about being an Other that is extremely significant that we don't know about yet. We know that when they're indoctrinated as an Other they learn Latin and that they're clued-in to some Greater Good sort of collective mission which many Others follow strictly without question (Mikhail, Ryan, Ethan). I think that Otherness has to do with the Temple and what is contained behind those walls. There's something they learn that makes them fearless and entirely convinced in the rightness of their mission. They are willing to die in service of whatever it is makes the Island so special. I think the majority of Others only know so much, enough to keep them in line. The leader of the Others, however, knows more of the picture. We'll find out soon what they learn specifically that allows them to be several steps ahead of the game a la Ben, Widmore, and Hawking.
That's about it, I guess. First theory, with more to come!
