Theory on Jacob *SPOILERS 'CAUSE I THINK I'M ACTUALLY RIGHT!*

[LostAndSeek]

Welcome, Black Rock.

I've come around to the idea that Hurley saw Christian visiting an invisible Jacob.

Well, not Christian exactly, but a Smokie manifestation of him.

Smokie may need a body to do a convincing manifestation of a human. Hence Yemi's and Christian's bodies go missing.

Hmmm.... God, this is crazy stuff, I wonder if Hurley could use a roommate.

[Laklost]

Wow.  I just DON'T think that Smokie is manifesting himself.  I still think of him as the Cerberus - the dog guarding the afterlife.  Sorry.  I think Jacob is Jacob, Christian is Christian and Smokie is Smokie.  I think we just keep referring to Smokie as all powerful because we don't know of any other characters operating on his same paranormal level. 

[LostAndSeek]

Wow.  I just DON'T think that Smokie is manifesting himself.  I still think of him as the Cerberus - the dog guarding the afterlife.  Sorry.  I think Jacob is Jacob, Christian is Christian and Smokie is Smokie.  I think we just keep referring to Smokie as all powerful because we don't know of any other characters operating on his same paranormal level. 

Oh, that's just way to logical for Lost. 

Something has to be manifesting as Yemi, Christian, Kate's horse, etc. We've not actually seen Smokie transform, but I don't have any other candidates. And if you're going to postulate an amorphous smoke monster, it's not a huge leap to assume it can shape itself into a recognizable form, at least temporarily.

[Laklost]

Wow.  I just DON'T think that Smokie is manifesting himself.  I still think of him as the Cerberus - the dog guarding the afterlife.  Sorry.  I think Jacob is Jacob, Christian is Christian and Smokie is Smokie.  I think we just keep referring to Smokie as all powerful because we don't know of any other characters operating on his same paranormal level. 

Oh, that's just way to logical for Lost. 

Something has to be manifesting as Yemi, Christian, Kate's horse, etc. We've not actually seen Smokie transform, but I don't have any other candidates. And if you're going to postulate an amorphous smoke monster, it's not a huge leap to assume it can shape itself into a recognizable form, at least temporarily.

Really?  Couldn't they really be there?  I'd rather think that island can make things that "aren't" come into being - rather than thinking that one being (Smokie) is pulling a bunch of tricks.  I don't mind being wrong about this, but I'd rather see how those things (horse, kitten, Yemi, etc.) got there.

[randomwaves]

mayhaps when Hurley came upon Jacobs Cabin, Jacob became the first manifestation that came to his (its) head, and it happened to be Christian. Like a Boggart.

[LostAndSeek]

mayhaps when Hurley came upon Jacobs Cabin, Jacob became the first manifestation that came to his (its) head, and it happened to be Christian. Like a Boggart.

Sure scared Hurley as much as any Boggart!! 

[LostAndSeek]

Really?  Couldn't they really be there?  I'd rather think that island can make things that "aren't" come into being - rather than thinking that one being (Smokie) is pulling a bunch of tricks.  I don't mind being wrong about this, but I'd rather see how those things (horse, kitten, Yemi, etc.) got there.

Well, of course, you could be right, Lakkie. Christian's and Yemi's bodies are there after all.

I think to do a convincing human, Smokie (or whatever) needs their body for a core. For something like a horse, maybe no core is needed or maybe any animal will do, or maybe there are horses on the island somewhere and one just had to be made to look like Kate's.

There are exceptions for special people. Ben saw his mother and Richard was surprised because she didn't die on the island (so her body wasn't available, you see).

I also think this may be why the Others give viking funerals. Burn the bodies as they're pushed out to sea. Really don't want them coming back to visit.

[Laklost]

Really?  Couldn't they really be there?  I'd rather think that island can make things that "aren't" come into being - rather than thinking that one being (Smokie) is pulling a bunch of tricks.  I don't mind being wrong about this, but I'd rather see how those things (horse, kitten, Yemi, etc.) got there.

Well, of course, you could be right, Lakkie. Christian's and Yemi's bodies are there after all.

I think to do a convincing human, Smokie (or whatever) needs their body for a core. For something like a horse, maybe no core is needed or maybe any animal will do, or maybe there are horses on the island somewhere and one just had to be made to look like Kate's.

There are exceptions for special people. Ben saw his mother and Richard was surprised because she didn't die on the island (so her body wasn't available, you see).

I also think this may be why the Others give viking funerals. Burn the bodies as they're pushed out to sea. Really don't want them coming back to visit.

Hmmm...let me count the reasons I like this post.  I MAY BE RIGHT?!?!  Whoa, I'll be groovin' on that.    Also, thank you for bringing up the funerals.  Has anyone ever seen a tv show with more funerals?  I'm telling you, the writers are obsessed with death.  And I have a feeling they've figured out a way past it or around it with this wacky island.

[PrincessLeia]

I used to think along the same lines as LAS till Lou brought up Ben's mom & I remembered the militiamen from s3e5.  While the locations of Christian's & Yemi's bodies remain a mystery, I just can't attribute their appearances to Smoky.  If it's Smoky appearing as the living dead, wouldn't he also need those other bodies (Emily & the militiamen)?  My thinking is a little more in line with Lakie right now, except that I think Smoky is Smoky, & everything else is the Island. 

So basically, I used to overgeneralize Smoky, but now I'm overgeneralizing the Island.

[LostAndSeek]

Well, I think Emily is a special case, 'cause, well, Ben is special. Richard was not surprised that Ben could see his dead mother (happens all the time, maybe?) until Ben mentioned that she died off the island.

In S3E5, Eko was delirious, in and out of consciousness, hallucinating. Until the end. At the end he's pretty clearly coherent and then he only sees Yemi.

I could be wrong (I'm wrong a lot!) but I still like this idea. 

[Madam P]

mayhaps when Hurley came upon Jacobs Cabin, Jacob became the first manifestation that came to his (its) head, and it happened to be Christian. Like a Boggart.

But... does Hurley even know what Christian looks like?  And is he afraid of Christian? 

Or are you saying that Christian was the first thing that came into Jacob's head?    

[LostAndSeek]

I don't think Hurley knows it's Christian. He just sees a spooky guy. Then when Locke's face suddenly appears, he gets scared.

[PrincessLeia]

mayhaps when Hurley came upon Jacobs Cabin, Jacob became the first manifestation that came to his (its) head, and it happened to be Christian. Like a Boggart.

But... does Hurley even know what Christian looks like?  And is he afraid of Christian? 

Or are you saying that Christian was the first thing that came into Jacob's head?    

OR Jacob needs Hurley to communicate something to Jack, like when Yemi appeared to Locke to communicate something to Eko.

[E.S.B.]

I kind of feel that sometimes it's really just the ghosts of these people.  My favorite one is when Jack was chasing Christian early in season 1 and ultimately Christian leads him to the caves and to water.  It's kind of like at that point Jack finds his ability to be a true leader, and then he goes on to make his legendary "live together, die alone" speech.  My point is, that was such a touching father/son moment where Christian seems to forgive Jack by helping him find the water and find himself.  Not unlike Sawyer and his boar.  So anyway, I just don't buy into Smokey and/or the Island always manifesting itself as these other entities.  I think Curt Yanko's post above is somewhat on the right track - there are multiple forces at work here.

[Laklost]

I kind of feel that sometimes it's really just the ghosts of these people.  My favorite one is when Jack was chasing Christian early in season 1 and ultimately Christian leads him to the caves and to water.  It's kind of like at that point Jack finds his ability to be a true leader, and then he goes on to make his legendary "live together, die alone" speech.  My point is, that was such a touching father/son moment where Christian seems to forgive Jack by helping him find the water and find himself.  Not unlike Sawyer and his boar.  So anyway, I just don't buy into Smokey and/or the Island always manifesting itself as these other entities.  I think Curt Yanko's post above is somewhat on the right track - there are multiple forces at work here.

YES!  That's why I don't like lumping all of Smokie's powers into the different visions/manifestations.  Smokie serves his purpose, the horse served its, Christian is serving his, heck, even Charlie's mom served hers.  I'm with PL - overgeneralize about what the island is up to.   Not Smokie.   He's the guard dog of the island - not much else.