"Good to see you out of those chains"

[Roman122]

...or something like that.

Richard was a prisoner/slave on the black rock... I'm calling that now (I hope no one else has). For some reason, Jacob took it upon himself to give him eternal life? Richard and the Man in Black seem to have a history together. I'm thinking that the Man in Black wants to go to the temple.... the real one. I think that's "home"...

[Ladybug]

...or something like that.

Richard was a prisoner/slave on the black rock... I'm calling that now (I hope no one else has). For some reason, Jacob took it upon himself to give him eternal life? Richard and the Man in Black seem to have a history together. I'm thinking that the Man in Black wants to go to the temple.... the real one. I think that's "home"...

i'll buy that he was a prisoner of the black rock.  i don't know about the temple, but maybe so. 

[jugdish]

Thats good, I was thinking  that Man in Black had him as a prisoner or slave and Jacob saved him and gave him eternal life.

[Roman122]

...or something like that.

Richard was a prisoner/slave on the black rock... I'm calling that now (I hope no one else has). For some reason, Jacob took it upon himself to give him eternal life? Richard and the Man in Black seem to have a history together. I'm thinking that the Man in Black wants to go to the temple.... the real one. I think that's "home"...

i'll buy that he was a prisoner of the black rock.  i don't know about the temple, but maybe so. 

Where else would "home" be? Underwater like in the opening sequence?

[Ladybug]

...or something like that.

Richard was a prisoner/slave on the black rock... I'm calling that now (I hope no one else has). For some reason, Jacob took it upon himself to give him eternal life? Richard and the Man in Black seem to have a history together. I'm thinking that the Man in Black wants to go to the temple.... the real one. I think that's "home"...

i'll buy that he was a prisoner of the black rock.  i don't know about the temple, but maybe so. 

Where else would "home" be? Underwater like in the opening sequence?

no, but it could be somewhere we haven't seen.  but the more i think about it the more i like the temple as his home.

[Roman122]

Well, he's been close. He was under the passage to the temple when Ben was down there. It seems like that's where he's ultimately headed.

[LockedInLost]

Thats good, I was thinking  that Man in Black had him as a prisoner or slave and Jacob saved him and gave him eternal life.

Or no longer bound to Jacob?

[Ladybug]

Thats good, I was thinking  that Man in Black had him as a prisoner or slave and Jacob saved him and gave him eternal life.

Or no longer bound to Jacob?

AHHH!!  i like this too!!

[Roman122]

Thats good, I was thinking  that Man in Black had him as a prisoner or slave and Jacob saved him and gave him eternal life.

Or no longer bound to Jacob?

It could be a figurative line, but I'm not so sure. Richard said "YOU!" like it's been a VERY long time since he's seen/heard from this man in black. Anybody have any theories as to who this might be? There's a history...

[JMart]

i think they were playing into our theories with that line. i bet it probably means that jacob had him in chains as his bitch

[Austruck]

Well, I'm going to start calling him the Man In Black SMOKE, since he's the smoke monster (which is why they were giving us hints at the end of season 5 by dressing him in black).

I assumed Richard said "YOU!" merely because he finally figured out who he was. And I'm guessing he hadn't seen him for whatever reason he also hadn't seen Jacob in person all that time. Plus, it seems the Man In Black has been cloaking himself as the Smoke Monster off and on throughout the decades... and Richard might have had a hard time recognizing him for that reason too.

It's like everyone suddenly realized that Jacob being dead ipso facto meant that the Man In Black was now in charge.

[Ladybug]

Well, I'm going to start calling him the Man In Black SMOKE, since he's the smoke monster (which is why they were giving us hints at the end of season 5 by dressing him in black).

I assumed Richard said "YOU!" merely because he finally figured out who he was. And I'm guessing he hadn't seen him for whatever reason he also hadn't seen Jacob in person all that time. Plus, it seems the Man In Black has been cloaking himself as the Smoke Monster off and on throughout the decades... and Richard might have had a hard time recognizing him for that reason too.

It's like everyone suddenly realized that Jacob being dead ipso facto meant that the Man In Black was now in charge.

exactly!  i think jacob is the "good guy" and has been protecting the island and the people on it, and they know it.  now that he's gone, they know they are in trouble.

[Roman122]

Well, I'm going to start calling him the Man In Black SMOKE, since he's the smoke monster (which is why they were giving us hints at the end of season 5 by dressing him in black).

I assumed Richard said "YOU!" merely because he finally figured out who he was. And I'm guessing he hadn't seen him for whatever reason he also hadn't seen Jacob in person all that time. Plus, it seems the Man In Black has been cloaking himself as the Smoke Monster off and on throughout the decades... and Richard might have had a hard time recognizing him for that reason too.

It's like everyone suddenly realized that Jacob being dead ipso facto meant that the Man In Black was now in charge.

exactly!  i think jacob is the "good guy" and has been protecting the island and the people on it, and they know it.  now that he's gone, they know they are in trouble.

You just made me think of the line "it says that if we dont save your friend, we're all in alot of trouble" referring to the piece of paper. I LOVE the theory that Jacob has now taken over Sayid's body... this means that he's still around to protect...

[Gutterball94]

I LOVE the theory that Jacob has now taken over Sayid's body... this means that he's still around to protect...

INDEED!! Nice thoughts.

Back to Richard though, if we are taking fake-Locke's comment literally I suggest that the Black Rock is too obvious an answer. If we're still to believe this Egyptian influence perhaps Richard is REALLY old.
The Egyptians were especially famous for slave labor, perhaps he beat the Black Rock there by a thousand years?

I'm more inclined to take it figuratively as well, but in the literal sense I don't like the Black Rock theory. It's almost not complicated enough... if that's even a legitimate complaint anymore.

[Bostonlost]

Could Richard be The Wandering Jew?