There are some posts all around that says that Jacob's touch is different for everybody. Like Richard was given the power of not aging, but it is different for everybody else since Sawyer, being touched when he was a kid, still aged.

Well, I think that the agelessness process starts or works ONLY when you are ON the island.

Think about it. If Jacob wanted all those people to become his successor, it is obvious and necessary that they don't age, or their kingdom as Island Protectors is not gonna last long.

Besides, it seems that Jacob himself didn't know WHO was the right or final candidate, so he touched them all just in case.

My point is that ALL of those touched by Jacob are as ageless as Richard as long as they are ON the island.

I'm not so sure about that. We have two references regarding gifts/blessings:

Bram said this to Miles in Some Like it Hoth:

BRAM: He's the man who chartered the boat you'll be getting on next week. And, my friend, you do not want to get on that boat. Do you know what lies in the shadow of the statue?

MILES: No, can't say that I do.

BRAM: Then you're not ready to go to that island. But if you come with us--all those things you've spent your life trying to find out? You'll know. You'll know who you are, Miles--why it is you have a gift, and most of all, you'll know about your father.
And this with Hurley:


HURLEY: 'Cause I'm cursed.

JACOB: Is that so?

HURLEY: Uh-huh. That's why the plane crashed, my friends died--Libby, Charlie. Now they visit me, and I can't make it stop.

JACOB: Well, what if you weren't cursed? What if you were blessed?

HURLEY: How do you mean "blessed?"

JACOB: Well, you get to talk to people you've lost... seems like a pretty wonderful thing to me.

I'm not so sure about that. We have two references regarding gifts/blessings:

Bram said this to Miles in Some Like it Hoth:


And this with Hurley:

but Hurley had that gift long before Jacob touched him...

And jacob hadn't touched Miles as far as we know

Right, as far as we know. I do think Jacob touched Hurley before. I mean, I suppose it's possible they're all ageless on the island if they've been touched, but then how to explain the other gifts? How many gifts does one person need?

Right, as far as we know. I do think Jacob touched Hurley before. I mean, I suppose it's possible they're all ageless on the island if they've been touched, but then how to explain the other gifts? How many gifts does one person need?

we can't attribute every single 'gift' a person might have to Jacob!



Miles could have that gift by himself. Many people 'supposedly' have that gift.
Jack's super healing powers might be just attribute to being just a very very good spinal surgeon.
etc, etc, etc.

I think Jacob chose those people because of their natural gifts, not the other way around.

but Hurley had that gift long before Jacob touched him...

And jacob hadn't touched Miles as far as we know

"as far as we know"

I just don't think we've seen all the touching yet. And maybe we won't until the end. I could see a final montage of Jacob interacting and touching all the candidates early in their lives.

The thing is that I can't just see Jacob going like you are gonna have teh power of agelesness, you are gonna have the power of superhealing, you are gonna have the power of 'I see dead people', you are gonna have the power of 'I hear dead people', you are gonna have the power of 'I can have any man I want', etc. You get the point

That is too much Heroes-like for my liking....

Making them agelessness fits perfect with the job they are supposed to have as island protectors.

Maybe they remain ageless on the island alone?

Maybe they remain ageless on the island alone?

That is what I propose;)

Like Richard was given the power of not aging, but it is different for everybody else since Sawyer, being touched when he was a kid, still aged.


It may be that the gift of not aging only prevents the decay of cells and organs.
It doesn't have to prevent their growth.

So, someone with the gift would still grow and mature, but without suffering from the effects of deterioration of the body usually associated with growing older. The net effect would be that they would appear not to age, but really they just wouldn't suffer the undesired consequencs of aging.

I think it's a mixture of both realities personally. I think there are individual gifts given to select individuals (Hurley, Miles, etc) akin to the gifts in holy spirit spoken of in the Christian Greek Scriptures (gifts of prophesying, healing, speaking in tongues, etc) and then the specific gift of agelessness imparted to the protector or steward of the Island and his or her advisor.

but Hurley had that gift long before Jacob touched him...

And jacob hadn't touched Miles as far as we know

That we've thusfar seen. However, if Jacob's been watching all the candidates since they were kids - and we know that Jack figured that out in the Lighthouse - then it stands to reason that they've all "bumped" into Jacob. And he's touched all of them. Giving them gifts when they were too young to remember.

Hurley - can see and talk to people "on the other side"
Jack - can cure the impossible, make the lame walk, etc.
Miles - can hear the last thoughts of the dead.

Wonder what Jin/Sun, Sayid, Locke, Sawyer's blessings are?
I sure hope Locke's is that he isn't dead. LOL!

I may have missed something big while watching the episode, but I don't get where the idea that everyone Jacob touched is ageless at all. From what I gathered, its unique to Richard and only Richard. Jacob, might have given gifts to other candidates, but they don't necessarily have to be X-men super powers. If you think about it, Jacob gave Sawyer a gift when he touched him, a pencil. He gave Kate the lunch box, Jack the candy bar, Hurley a guitar case, Locke his life?, and perhaps Sayid something as well. Maybe not as exciting as never aging and etc. but I think it relatively fits.

So far, we've seen many supernatural talents/circumstances, but we've only seen one person for sure who doesn't seem to age, and that's Richard. Others on the island, such as Charles Widmore, Ben, Roger, have aged on the island. Sure, it's possible Jacob hadn't touched those people. But to me it does look more like a Heroes scenario, where Jacob gives distinct "gifts" to various individuals.

I may have missed something big while watching the episode, but I don't get where the idea that everyone Jacob touched is ageless at all. From what I gathered, its unique to Richard and only Richard. Jacob, might have given gifts to other candidates, but they don't necessarily have to be X-men super powers. If you think about it, Jacob gave Sawyer a gift when he touched him, a pencil. He gave Kate the lunch box, Jack the candy bar, Hurley a guitar case, Locke his life?, and perhaps Sayid something as well. Maybe not as exciting as never aging and etc. but I think it relatively fits.

Ok. It comes from the fact that Jack couldn't kill himself either with the whole dynamite thing. The whole purpose behind that scene was to put Richard and Jack at the same level regarding 'I can't kill myself'.

So far, we've seen many supernatural talents/circumstances, but we've only seen one person for sure who doesn't seem to age, and that's Richard. Others on the island, such as Charles Widmore, Ben, Roger, have aged on the island. Sure, it's possible Jacob hadn't touched those people. But to me it does look more like a Heroes scenario, where Jacob gives distinct "gifts" to various individuals.

Well, Jacob didn't age either (on or off the Island). The MIB's an interesting case, because we don't know if the Titus Welliver form is his actual real form. All we know if Locke is the last person he morphed into, and because Jacob is dead, he has stay to stay in that form.

we can't attribute every single 'gift' a person might have to Jacob!



Miles could have that gift by himself. Many people 'supposedly' have that gift.
Jack's super healing powers might be just attribute to being just a very very good spinal surgeon.
etc, etc, etc.

I think Jacob chose those people because of their natural gifts, not the other way around.

I have never heard of a gift whereby someone can read the last thoughts of a dead person. And Bram promised Miles he'd learn why he had that gift. The implication is that the gift is related to the Island/Jacob.

What super healing powers does Jack have? One person was miraculously cured and that may not have been his doing at all.

I have never heard of a gift whereby someone can read the last thoughts of a dead person. And Bram promised Miles he'd learn why he had that gift. The implication is that the gift is related to the Island/Jacob.

What super healing powers does Jack have? One person was miraculously cured and that may not have been his doing at all.

well, he operated on her, didn't he?

Besides, have you ever thought WHY Jacob chose these people as candidates?

Couldn't it be because they ALREADY had those 'gifts' and he thought they might become handy for his long-term plan?????

Sawyer can see the 'kid' on the Island, which Richard was unable to see. Sawyer was also able to see Flocke in Locke.

It's also interesting to me that both Sawyer and Kate were touched as kids (i.e. touched first), and now they are the two Losties with Flocke et al.

I suspect Jacob gave both Sawyer and Kate gifts that will help them against Flocke/Smokey. Maybe Kate will steal something from Flocke (gift of slight of hand) and Sawyer will use it to defeat Flocke (gift of bravery/cunning).

Sawyer can see the 'kid' on the Island, which Richard was unable to see. Sawyer was also able to see Flocke in Locke.

It's also interesting to me that both Sawyer and Kate were touched as kids (i.e. touched first), and now they are the two Losties with Flocke et al.

I suspect Jacob gave both Sawyer and Kate gifts that will help them against Flocke/Smokey. Maybe Kate will steal something from Flocke (gift of slight of hand) and Sawyer will use it to defeat Flocke (gift of bravery/cunning).

Well, the MIB hasn't really made a play on Kate yet. She happened to be in the right place at the right time while he as the smoke monster blew through the Temple. His sizing her up at the end of 'Sundown" indicates to me he doesn't know what to make of her yet, or how she can be an asset. She's connected to Claire though-which is important. What would spoil the MIB's influence over her? Reuniting her with Aaron-which is Kate's stated objective.

Ok. It comes from the fact that Jack couldn't kill himself either with the whole dynamite thing. The whole purpose behind that scene was to put Richard and Jack at the same level regarding 'I can't kill myself'.

that was the plot purpose

but the deeper purpose was to show Jack's complete transformation from a Man of Science to a Man of Faith and to show Richard's lack of faith restored after Jack's faith experiment... it was to secure in our minds that Jacob is good and he has a plan for the greater good, even if we (the viewers, or they the candidates) don't understand it :)

well, he operated on her, didn't he?

Besides, have you ever thought WHY Jacob chose these people as candidates?

Couldn't it be because they ALREADY had those 'gifts' and he thought they might become handy for his long-term plan?????

Why would Bram tell Miles there was an explanation for his gift? Why would he imply that only they could shed light on it? If Jacob chose Miles because he was gifted, there would be no explanation for it.

Why would Bram tell Miles there was an explanation for his gift? Why would he imply that only they could shed light on it? If Jacob chose Miles because he was gifted, there would be no explanation for it.

Miles's gift was very helpful in last episode. so perhaps Jacob knew that his gift was gonna be quite handy in the future to let them know how to deal with a specific situation.
At that point, Miles would realize why he was 'chosen'.

And, by the way, can you post the transcript for that conversation?

BRAM: He's the man who chartered the boat you'll be getting on next week. And, my friend, you do not want to get on that boat. Do you know what lies in the shadow of the statue?
MILES: No, can't say that I do.
BRAM: Then you're not ready to go to that island. But if you come with us--all those things you've spent your life trying to find out? You'll know. You'll know who you are, Miles--why it is you have a gift, and most of all, you'll know about your father.


Just seems like it's related to candidacy.

In this one it's not quite as direct as the one with Miles and Bram, but it still seems gift-y to me.

HURLEY: 'Cause I'm cursed.
JACOB: Is that so?
HURLEY: Uh-huh. That's why the plane crashed, my friends died--Libby, Charlie. Now they visit me, and I can't make it stop.
JACOB: Well, what if you weren't cursed? What if you were blessed?
HURLEY: How do you mean "blessed?"
JACOB: Well, you get to talk to people you've lost... seems like a pretty wonderful thing to me.



Not to mention Miles' "gift" was awfully similar to an ability that Smoke has. And, they went out of our way to make sure both Miles' and Smoke's abilities were highlighted in the same episode so that we'd be sure to make that connection.

The answer is simple. Jacob asked Richard what he most desired and Viola!

we can't attribute every single 'gift' a person might have to Jacob!



Miles could have that gift by himself. Many people 'supposedly' have that gift.
Jack's super healing powers might be just attribute to being just a very very good spinal surgeon.
etc, etc, etc.

I think Jacob chose those people because of their natural gifts, not the other way around.


ITA! Some talents/gifts are inherent and don't have to be necessarily caused by Jacob's touch.

Because of what Bram said to Miles when he snatched him, I often wondered if Mile's gift was associated with him being exposed to the EME on the island as a baby?

The OP got me thinking about, of all things, Kate giving Sawyer a haircut all the way back in S2. Sawyer was aging if his hair was growing.

I posted this elsewhere, and wonder if it's not more relevant here.

If we're to believe Richard, and "Jacob gave him a gift," then those Jacob touches can't die, at least not by their own hand. Richard seems pretty certain of this, like he's tried it before. Hence, making Jack light the fuse.

Cases in point:

Jacob touched John after he fell from the window, John didn't die. John was killed by Ben, but when John tried to hang himself, would he have succeeded? Probably not.

Jacob touched Sayid and even though he was shot by Roger and drowned in the temple pool...he came back to life.

You mentioned Claire...when was she touched by Jacob?

And don't forget Michael, we don't know if he was touched by Jacob, but he did try to kill himself and "the island wasn't done with him" so the gun just went click, click, click.

Does the island = Jacob? Literally? Not metaphorically.

The OP got me thinking about, of all things, Kate giving Sawyer a haircut all the way back in S2. Sawyer was aging if his hair was growing.
And you saying that makes me think of scraggly Richard that spoke to young Ben just outside the sonic fence. Maybe Richard was just in between barbers at that time. :biggrin:

I also can't help but thinking Jacob's touch might have had something to do with them not dying when the plane crashed....

Another thought on the aging thing....Sun was touched by Jacob and she obviously aged on the island. She was pregnant and the baby grew.

I guess you could argue that the baby aged while she didn't, but that would be kinda weird.

Another thought on the aging thing....Sun was touched by Jacob and she obviously aged on the island. She was pregnant and the baby grew.

I guess you could argue that the baby aged while she didn't, but that would be kinda weird.

weird in LOST, NEVER!:biggrin:

on second thoughts, can we tie that to the infertility issues????????:confused:

I have never heard of a gift whereby someone can read the last thoughts of a dead person. ....


Wow, I love this sentence in the context of discussing the mystical powers of Jacob's touch on LOST.

Wow, I love this sentence in the context of discussing the mystical powers of Jacob's touch on LOST.

Exactly. Jacob's touch. And that is my point. That Miles' gift was from Jacob, not some fluke that Jacob took advantage of. And it just so happens that Smokey and Miles' share that particular ability and each illustrates it in the same episode so that we're sure to make the connection.

weird in LOST, NEVER!:biggrin:

on second thoughts, can we tie that to the infertility issues????????:confused:

Well, if you tie it to the infertility issues, then you would have to say that everyone who ever lost a baby on the island was ageless and therefore had been touched by Jacob. And I don't think that is the case. At least it hasn't been shown as being the case.

I feel like I am in 10th grade doing geometry proofs. :-)

Well, if you tie it to the infertility issues, then you would have to say that everyone who ever lost a baby on the island was ageless and therefore had been touched by Jacob. And I don't think that is the case. At least it hasn't been shown as being the case.

I feel like I am in 10th grade doing geometry proofs. :-)

The thing is that these women's wombs show signs of old age when they were actually a lot younger...
It makes you think. I bet there is something about it....

Perhaps it is the MiB's touch....;)

The thing is that these women's wombs show signs of old age when they were actually a lot younger...
It makes you think. I bet there is something about it....

Perhaps it is the MiB's touch....;)

I had forgotten about that....it does make you wonder.

I mean if MiB doesn't want people on the island, it makes sense that he had 'cursed' its inhabitants with infertility

I mean if MiB doesn't want people on the island, it makes sense that he had 'cursed' its inhabitants with infertility

Isn't more likely the whole infertility issue is designed to reduce the candidate pool? That seems to be part of the MIB's end game.

Isn't more likely the whole infertility issue is designed to reduce the candidate pool? That seems to be part of the MIB's end game.

sure. I totally think that it is DNA related

I always wondered if there was a correlation between Locke being born when his mother was just shy of 6 months pregnant and the fact that the island moms start to get sick at around that time. Oh! And the sperm count that is 5 times normal. So, you have a population that is incredibly likely to get pregnant and at the same time pregnancy is fatal. Talk about birth control. If Smoke is responsible, what an efficient way to clear the island of people eventually. Particularly of women and children.

I always wondered if there was a correlation between Locke being born when his mother was just shy of 6 months pregnant and the fact that the island moms start to get sick at around that time. Oh! And the sperm count that is 5 times normal. So, you have a population that is incredibly likely to get pregnant and at the same time pregnancy is fatal. Talk about birth control. If Smoke is responsible, what an efficient way to clear the island of people eventually. Particularly of women and children.

I bet Jacob is the one superpowering guy's sperm count:biggrin:
After all he lived in a fertitlity statue!

Yeah, but why would he do that if it's outcome assured death? Unless, he only did so Sun would get pregnant. That he put it into place a long time ago knowing it would result in the conception of Ji Yeon.

If MIB were responsible for the fertility issues, it would make sense that Jacob was living in the Taweret statue. Wonder where Smokey was living, lol.

If MIB were responsible for the fertility issues, it would make sense that Jacob was living in the Taweret statue. Wonder where Smokey was living, lol.

inside a huge condom..

(sorry, I just had to do it!:redface::biggrin:)

Well, the MIB hasn't really made a play on Kate yet. She happened to be in the right place at the right time while he as the smoke monster blew through the Temple. His sizing her up at the end of 'Sundown" indicates to me he doesn't know what to make of her yet, or how she can be an asset. She's connected to Claire though-which is important. What would spoil the MIB's influence over her? Reuniting her with Aaron-which is Kate's stated objective.

Smokey doesn't seem to think Kate is very important at all, but he will use her if can (because he uses everyone).
According to Carlton Cruise, Austin was crossed-off the list on the cave wall, we just didn't see it. However, we saw that Austin was NOT crossed off the list on the lighthouse dial. Seems like Smokey has written off Austin as unimportant.

Smokey doesn't seem to think Kate is very important at all, but he will use her if can (because he uses everyone).
According to Carlton Cruise, Austin was crossed-off the list on the cave wall, we just didn't see it. However, we saw that Austin was NOT crossed off the list on the lighthouse dial. Seems like Smokey has written off Austin as unimportant.

so that means that

she is gonna have quite an important role to play on all this...because MiB underestimated her....

inside a huge condom..

(sorry, I just had to do it!:redface::biggrin:)niiiiice :biggrin:

Smokey doesn't seem to think Kate is very important at all, but he will use her if can (because he uses everyone).
According to Carlton Cruise, Austin was crossed-off the list on the cave wall, we just didn't see it. However, we saw that Austin was NOT crossed off the list on the lighthouse dial. Seems like Smokey has written off Austin as unimportant.


I just read a quote from Darlton that indicated that Kate NOT being crossed off on the Lighthouse dial was a production error-so it would seem she is not a candidate at all.

I just read a quote from Darlton that indicated that Kate NOT being crossed off on the Lighthouse dial was a production error-so it would seem she is not a candidate at all.



WTH?:confused:

Poor Kate. I wonder how Evangeline must have felt about it? :frown: