[arrowheadnation]

So many things running through my head. I really think I have quite a bit figured out though. Of course, I may be way off.

1. All of the dead people we have seen, all the ghosts, the black horse kate saw, etc. etc. etc. The man on the beach with Jacob, John Locke, Christian Shepard (on the island) have ALL BEEN THE BLACK SMOKE!

2. The "loop hole" is that the non-living (THE SMOKE MONSTER) cannot KILL Jacob. It had to find a loop hole. The loop hole being a living person. The smoke monster had to manipulate a living person into killing Jacob, and it finally did in the person of Benjamin Linus.

3. While Jacob lived in the cabin, he surrounded the cabin with that circle of black ash (perhaps some PERSON'S ashes) which apparently repelled the smoke monster. Remember back when Locke/Hurley and crew found the cabin earlier, they made sure to note the break in the circle. This allowed the smoke monster to get through and pose as Christian Shepard inside the cabin.

4. This whole thing has been Jacob vs. the Smoke Monster....THE WHOLE THING! We got in on the ground floor tonight when the guy on the beach said he was going to kill him. They've spent all this time in a back and forth struggle. Widmore just complicates things. He wants the island for his own personal reasons.

5. Rose and Bernard are the skeletons in the cave. When the bomb goes off, they seek shelter in the cave, and die there.

6. Desmond and Hurley are on a different level and still factor into this. I can't put my finger on it, but I know they do.

7. Remember, when the Black Rock was off in the distance at the beginning, that had the ancestors of Alvar Hanso on it. Alvar wasn't at all interested in science. The Hanso Foundation/Dharma Initiative all a sham to cover up Hanso/Widmore's search for and protection of the island. The DeGroots did get a little free research out of it...lol. It will be interesting to see the actual story behind the Black Rock's arrival. I'm sure it was just another group that Jacob rounded up to bring to the island, but since he couldn't bring them by plane (obviously), he brought them by ship.

8. The statue is Taweret, the Egyptian God of Childbirth.

9. The smoke monster, in the form of Christian Shepard told Locke he had to die. Not to get back to the island to "save everybody," but to eliminate him so it (the smoke monster) could take his (John Locke's) form and manipulate Ben into killing Jacob.

10. I have another theory. The other Ajira passengers are either VERY OLD or are decendents of those from the very early days of the island. And they apparently had the job of finding a "candidate" to take Jacob's place once he's dead. Hence the reason, Jacob met with Alana in the hospital. They were aware of the ramifications of the break in the ash ring at the cabin. Also during this scene, we see another clearer picture of Taweret on the piece of carpet/tapestry taken from the cabin.

11. If you have it taped, go back and watch the non-bomb scenes. The scenes with Locke/Smokey and the opening scene are monumental in this series' history. The opening scene laid out the ground work that would become the future of the island. It was good (Jacob in his white shirt) meeting evil (Smokey, in his dark shirt). The scenes with Locke/Smokey, Richard, Ben etc. give away bigtime tidbits of info. At one point, Ben explains that his dead daughter (the smoke monster in Alex form) threatened to destroy him if he didn't do everything Locke said. Locke then stops him and says "wait when did this happen." Ben replies, "when we went to see the monster." Locke, "so...you're willing to do whatever I say no matter what it is?" Ben..."yes." It's at that point that Locke/Smokey knows he has his loop hole. Jacob has been doing all the could throughout the history of the island to prevent Smokey from finding the loophole. Even going as far as saving Locke when he was thrown out of the building. He didn't make it in time to stop Ben from REALLY killing him though.

12. Another big scene is where they come up to the old Oceanic Camp. Locke/smokey tells them all to rest because they're "going to need it for what he has planned for them." Insert sinister laugh.

13. John Locke/Smokey tricked them all. They all bought it, hook, line, and sinker....even Richard Alpert. He knew how it worked. ONLY THE LEADER could request an audience with Jacob. Locke/smokey manipulated him though by accusing him of making the rules as he went and Richard fell for it, thus planting the final piece allowing the loop hole mentioned way back in the 1800's in the first scene to happen.

14. When Richard answered the question of what lies in the shadow of the statue and Alana showed him Locke's body, he knew that he'd been duped. This ENTIRE EPISODE was basically a race to see who could get to the finish first. Could Jacob's assembled group of people get the bomb detonated before Smokey could get the "loop hole" (Ben) to kill Jacob. THAT'S WHAT WE WILL FIND OUT NEXT SEASON!!!! DID THE BOMB GO OFF BEFORE BEN KILLED JACOB???

15. With his dying breath, Jacob said, "they're coming." Meaning the Ajira crew were coming with a candidate to take his place. That's why Locke shoved him in the fire so hastily. He has to stop them from instating a new "Jacob" or else he'll have to find a loop hole all over again.

I'll add more as it comes to me. I'm going to go back and watch the finale again.