How Smokey came to be by jc1funk

"My humanity was taken from me" - MIB. We assume he means his physical form; he may be referring to his "faith".

The question of how Smokey came to be has been bugging me for some time, but I haven't seen a theory on it (apart from nanobots etc), so I figured I better put it out there before the airing of the next episode.

Put simply, I believe this phenomenon may be the result of MIB being burnt in a fire or in the island's volcano, in combination with a release of the island's electromagnetic energy. (Maybe Jughead plays a role?)

Either way, I reckon there has to be a coincidence of events, as is the nature of Lost.

The simplicity of this idea stems from the first season where we are first introduced to the concept of the "monster" and a "pillar of black smoke". Also, it appears most of the mysteries being revealed this season actually have very simple, common sense explanations (as far as Lost goes anyway:).

Originally, the pillar of black smoke in the distance was supposed to be a sign that The Others were coming (according to Rousseau). The first time they find the actual source of the smoke, the characters (I can't remember who it was, Sayid and Charlie?) comment that there are no footsteps in the sand to indicate that an actual person had constructed the fire. One could assume Smokey lit this fire to help return Aaron, Kate and Claire to their required "paths".

However, this is only relevant in setting up the relationship between Smokey, and the old adage: "where there's smoke, there's fire."

Now, this season, MIB tells us that his "humanity was taken" from him. And we know he holds a serious grudge against Jacob. By humanity, he may mean his bodily form, OR HE MAY mean, his faith.

So put it together and what do you get?

1. Smoke comes from fire.
2. MIB's human form, and/or faith is gone because of Jacob
3. All that is left is black smoke, and an ability to form images and read memories.

(BTW When Jacob was killed, all that was left was white(ish) ash. nice duality there)

Firstly, the whole reading people's minds thing has to relate directly to the reading of minds that seems to be happening between the sideways and the original timeline, however in these cases, it's one character reading their own mind, from a different life.

My theory is this: Jacob and MIB were pitted against each other at some point (ie they weren't always enemies). Jacob then deceived MIB by telling him he could leave the island by turning the donkey wheel or by some other means, most likely a test of faith, which would explain his current lack thereof.

I don't know how, but at some point, MIB going up in flames coincided with the turning of the donkey wheel, or some other event coincided with MIB being cast into the Island's volcano, which would have spewed out the black smoke upon eruption, or this may have coincided with the moving of the island... somehow.

OR, it could coincide with Locke's turning of the wheel when they time travelled.. Maybe John didn't move with them that last time because he was underground, this would leave him in the time of the well, Jacob and MIB, pre-fight. Getting off the point...

This could also explain how he comes to be a part of John's life. How? There has long been an idea and theories associated with leaving the island, that one may become duplicated. This has been solidified this season by the existence of a alternate universe, possibly 3 years skewed in time from the original, where our players are "duplicated" but different.

That could be Jacob's long con/loophole: pairing the two of them, Locke and MIB, in a time paradox, which would also explain the rules (if you assume they exist because of a time paradox, which i do... AINT NO GAME! please! that would be so disappointing)

So MIBs "humanity" went into Locke. This would explain the much discussed immaculate conception of John Locke. The island's electromagnetic properties caused a part of MIB, or his duplicate to remain on the island, formless and dead, the mere smokey remnants of a man who once had faith.

It's a little loose I know but I hope you can see where I'm pointing this at...