WHAT LIES IN THE SHADOW OF THE STATUE IS.... by ML Johnson

My theory here has to do with the events that we saw unfold previously in seasons gone by and also in this season.

This is my first theory here and the first time I've ever posted and so I'll be interested to see what you folks out there think, as there are some sharp minds out there - Vozzek69 for one - Wow!

What came to me the other day while spending (far too much) time contemplating this 'plotline pretzel' that we all fondly refer to as 'Lost,' was a replay and evaluation of the scene wherein Ilana and company make their way to the statue's base. It is there that they encounter Richard, get through the folks potentially in the way and finally ask the question of him, "WHAT LIES IN THE SHADOW OF THE STATUE?"

Richard hesitates for a split second before answering, I believe still evaluating Ilana and team to decided whether or not he can trust them, where they might be from, where in the world they came from, etc. He decides to trust them and then answers (in Latin) "HE WHO WILL SAVE US ALL."

I think that this is yet another very revealing and extremely clever plot device by Lindeloff / Cuse / writing team. This particular piece of superb creativity and writing is definitely on par with the RED HERRING SCENE (yes, literally a red herring that Jacob was snacking on at the end of Season 5, which means...........wait for it.....okay, more on this nugget in a moment) and the more recently broadcast 'Linus Family Moment' in "Dr. Linus" where Ben was seen, this time in the 'ALT' GASSING HIS FATHER ONCE AGAIN. This time however, he is seen doing it with OXYGEN instead of a big ol' can of 'DHARMA BE GONE.'

As I think about it more and more, it seems right within the writer's custom and habit to have the answer to Ilana's question RIGHT THERE ALL ALONG. If you ask yourself WHO was LITERALLY LYING IN THE 'SHADOW' (as it were) OF THE STATUE, THEN THE OBVIOUS ANSWER IS..........JOHN LOCKE! As a matter of fact, Locke proceeded to lie there so long that his face ultimately became a playground / racetrack for beach crabs.........

So, (now go with me a little farther down the road on this one - hell, you've come this far already.........) if we go with that assumption, then this practiced, albeit ambiguous "password phrase" that Jacob's followers have evidentally been asked to memorize and rattle off to one another for recognition should the need or circumstance arise, takes on some broader implications.

What if, since Jacob can apparently see the future (via having visited alternate timelines or by using his magic lighthouse or whatever) he knew how this scenario is supposed to play out and further, knew that in this part of the loop that John Locke was ultimately supposed to be when and where he is (i.e. in Ilana's 'BOX O' LOCKE') and so had his closest folks learn the phrase?

Remember here that, the producers have told us in more than one interview in the past that the show "LOST" was originally to carry the title, "THE CIRCLE." By the way, I think we're all thankful that they didn't call it that, as we probably would've figured out too much, too soon and would have missed all this 6 years of hand-wringing over the show, etc. Like many others of you out there, no pun intended, I too believe that this entire series of events has played out LOTS of times before (see the tons of names of potential candidates on the cave wall that have been scratched out, the runway that was built in advance of Ajira 316 ever needing it and ESPECIALLY the way in which Jacob seemed to take getting stabbed in the chest by Ben so matter-of-factly - almost like, "Oh man - I was SO hoping you'd make a DIFFERENT decision THIS TIME AROUND - Oh well, here I go, limp and dying and here I go, kicked into the fire," etc.) Jacob's the dude who's seen it all before and he knows ! that THIS TIME things can be DIFFERENT.

How can they be different?

Things can change this time around ("it only ends once. Everything else is just progress") because THIS time MIB has found his loophole!

I believe that MIB has been bested this time around by Jacob. I think that Jacob knew that if he could get the folks to come back to the island, bring Locke's body back, etc. that MIB would 'copy' him. He would trick Ben into stabbing him, etc. However, what Jacob also knew is that under the right circumstances, MIB can be inhabited as well if he copies his target a little too well.

We've seen evidence of this in MIB's recent outburst where he yelled at the blonde boy (manifestation of young Jacob?) , "Don't tell me what I can't do!" Now why in the hell would he do an imitation of Locke's catch phrase in that situation unless he is a little closer to an approximation of Locke than even HE knows?

Finally, what if "what lies in the shadow of the statue - He who will save us all" is Locke with regard to the actual mechanism of the characters and the end of the show? I suppose we might be treated to a very surprising turn of events as we learn who is "good" and who is "evil" on the show, for one. I think that the writers and this audience, and by that I mean the CORE audience who really follow this show religiously, are far more sophisticated than to settle for being beaten over the head with an ending wherein the MIB says to Jack, "SO NOW YOU KNOW! I AM EVIL!" and twirls the ends of a black mustache as he says it.

I believe that one of the overarcing lessons from Lost that'll stick with us all after the show's over will be that for each of us there actually IS a little light and a little dark and that sometimes a person's actions can be construed as being "good" or "evil" and that it really just depends on the context or your perspective as to which is which.