So, seems like Jacob released some kind of evil that was in the light when he killed his brother, and smokie was just taking the shape of his dead brother like he did with locke.
There were quite a few biblical allegories in the episode, from the wine, eden, to cain and able and the Lucifer and michael story.
We got some answers, who were the 2 dead bodies, where smokie came from.
Still no answer on how Jacob can leave the island to recruite.

I actually thought that they did explain how Jacob can leave the island. His brother built that wheel to turn (harnesses the light's energy somehow).

Their mom may have buried it, but he has all the time in the world to find it, and turn the wheel himself. That will allow him to leave the island.

I enjoyed the episode. MIB isn't dead he was reborn as the smoke monster. I thought it was good how they answered some questions although except two what was the MIB's name and what was the light in the cave? I am guessing they are saving that for the final.

It was embarrassingly cheesy. Other than that my reactions were

- Janney wasn't convincing at all. The birth mother was a better actress.
- MiB can see dead people, Jacob can't. Hurley can. What does that say about Hurley?
- MiB came across much better in this episode than Jacob. Jacob was passive and a whiner.
- Not sure how transforming into a cool as hell smoke monster is worse than death.
- It seemed like a setup for a lot more flashbacks to that period in the finale.
- Kate looked 100 times better in the flashback cave scenes than she has anytime lately.

Anyone know what the mother was saying when she gave Jacob the cup of wine to drink?

I think since his mother didn't have a name for him he didn't get one.

Well, that was really confusing for a change. They didn't really tell us THAT much (and I'm still very confused about the light...and the wheel), but it was nice to see the origin of Smokey (your fault, Jacob!). As well as explain who the infamous Adam and Eve from the caves are.

I thought Allison Janney was brilliant in her guest role but the child actors playing Jacob and MIB kind of detracted from the first half.

Also, were we supposed to feel bad for MIB? Because I did...he was trying to get off the island without hurting anyone originally and he got screwed. Whoops.

Well that was a waste of an ep.

Yeah I was really surprised with how bad the acting was. I liked Jacob and MIB's performance in Ab Aeterno. What happened to that?

Oh, and I agree with A.G., Kate looked so much better in the flashback.

What I don't get is the intention of the smoke monster of leaving the island. Clearly, the MIB has shown that he always wanted to leave the island, but clearly, the MIB and the smoke monster are separate entities.

Janney's Latin (or whatever it was she was speaking at the beginning) was pretty horrible.

this

I think the light, in our terms, can best be viewed as Power. It's all the power in the world, it corrupts men, etc, etc. Power in and of itself isn't bad, I view it as a scale which can easily be tipped in either direction.

When Jacob threw his brother down the hole, he gave him eternal life, he made him all powerful, within the confines of the island. He also took away his physical form, and the reason he can't leave the island, the blockade or rule that the island created, was that he can't cross water. Jacob's fake mother had eternal life, but eternal life with an escape clause: find another candidate. She was tired, clearly wanted to die, who knows how long she had been there. She told Jacob being thrown down that hole would be a fate worse than death ... she wasn't lying, to her, that was the truth, because her understanding was being thrown down would leave you stuck on the island forever. Jacob's brother somehow found a way to take physical form, and in doing so, created a way he could get off the island, essentially taking all that corrupted power into the real world.

Now this is all just my understanding, I don't read spoilers, so it's really all a guess.

I agree with the previous poster who said that Jacob was searching for a way to get his brother out of the hell he put him into, to return the light to the island, and create a new candidate to guard it so he can move on as well.

I should also add ... it's becoming more and more clear there is a parallel between pushing the button in the hatch and being the protector of the island. No one knows why it needs to be done, but it needs to be done, someone has to do it, and it's a really shitty job.

Maybe ... that or she had a different way to channel that power. I'm not so certain she was the smoke monster, as I think the smoke monster didn't exist until Jacob threw his brother in that hole, but she clearly had some means to protect the island.

I have to say, last night's episode rivaled "Stranger in a Strange Land" as one of the worst episodes of Lost ever. It was just really boring and confusing at the same time, and quite the come down after how amazing "The Candidate" was.

Kind of wish they didn't have such a stinker so close to the end, but maybe last night was a prerequisite for understanding the finale or something.

She did say "we are one" or something to that effect. It could very well be that all the knowledge she had, and the knowledge of all protectors before her, passed down to Jacob when he became the protector?

Good analysis, I think you have some valid points. Also, I knew this episode would be one of those that people would like/hate. Anytime you deal with backstory you get those issues. I think the other question that remains, where did the power come from? And who was mother? I think there are four possible explanations Supernatural, aliens, time travel, and parallel worlds. The latter two have major problems though and might be tough to explain. Aliens could really cheapen the show and just seems too much of a deux ex machine explanation. I vote for supernatural because you could hint at that explanation and leave a lot as mysterious, since it goes beyond human comprehension.

I didnt like it, this a example of an episode coming too late.

I think you are right and they should have put this episode earlier in the season. Unfortunately, some answers will never be revealed, although that could be a good thing in some instances.

Ya, the whole episode just seemed off. I'm getting really worried for the finale. It's gonna take a lot to end Lost on a satisfying note.

Didn't the bodies Jack and Kate found have dharma clothes on?

didnt jack say that the bodies looked 40 years old as well. mother appeared older than that.

He said that it would take at least 40 years for their clothes to disintegrate, and the bodies had no clothes on them.

Agreed. It seemed quite off. Okay, we got a couple of answers. Especially about the identities of Adam & Eve (well played there), the whole backgammon thing and the birth of Smokey.

But yet the whole backstory kinda seemed...irrelevant? And that for one of the most important episodes of the series. The kids' acting being very wooden didn't help either.

And honestly, I don't know about you, but to me MIB seemed like the most reasonable one of the bunch and not a bad guy at all. I felt pity for him. Thje "mother" was just crazy and Jacob was dumb as hell and seemingly easily manipulated. Meh.

On an episode-unrelated note...


Looking at the "death poll", only few guessed for Sun and Jin to die. Shows once again how shocking it was.