Did Eko recognize that specific copy? He seemed very awestruck when he found it. Perhaps it belonged to someone he knew? Someone also from Nigeria that was a drug smuggler? Someone with a glass eye maybe? Or do you think his reaction was more about his faith?

More about his faith. I have a feeling he might be a missionary? I say this because missionary's travel to different countries to study and so forth. Just had a feeling about him, and then after he had to kill the two people, he did not speak for 40 days. In seeing the Bible he found a sense of relief, like a sign to him. He was looking for forgivness.

I found it curious that Eko opened the Bible to what would have been a frontespiece enscription page, not a favorite book or verse nor a random place. He was looking to see to whom the Bible might have belonged which, even in a search of seemingly random objects found in a mysterious place, seemed noteable to me.

Like Locke, Eko is clearly a man of faith, although a very different kind of faith. I think the paralells between the two of them are too many to ignore. Remember, Locke didn't speak for some time after the crash as well (although it was more like a day and a half).

I think the importance of showing Eko look at the bible was to signify him being a man of faith. I think he looked at the first page to see if the bible might have belonged to any of the survivors. He probably felt the need to have the bible, but if it belonged to someone else, he'd want to return it to its rightful owner.

It makes you wonder when they are going to start showing some of the tailies back stories. You could tell that Ecko was "upset" about killing those people. But did you notice the first thing he did after that? He went and found himself a big stick and started making a club out of it. He was the first with a weapon, and he started "hiding" more. Like you would see him behind a branch in one shot, or off the path somewhere. Always a little out of sight. Perhaps the bible eased his "suffering" a bit. He opened up to Ana, spoke again, more. And now is seemingly "healed", and providing a "moral compass" against Ana's direction of self preservation. I'm guessing Ana was in the military, and was either tortured, or saw some pretty nasty stuff. She is just too obsessed with avoiding death and pain not to have had something affect her terribly in the past.

Like Locke, Eko is clearly a man of faith, although a very different kind of faith. I think the paralells between the two of them are too many to ignore. Remember, Locke didn't speak for some time after the crash as well (although it was more like a day and a half).
Pretty clear that Echo is Locke's foil - Locke is the white piece to Echo's black. Both men of faith, probably very different faiths. Heck, for all we know Echo's name is spelled "Ekco," which is very nearly the reverse of "Locke."

Moreover, Bernard is the white piece to Rose's black piece. Rose as a genuine, Biblical faith, as it seems Echo does. Bernard does not seem to be quite as convinced as his wife - he may even have no faith at all.

Hi, first time posting here. I believe that Mr. Ecko's interest in the Bible was because of his faith. There were many references to his faith, he mentions that he will pray for others who were killed. Then he waits 40 days to talk after he killed two men. This seems clearly like a biblical reference. In Matthew Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days and forty nights while he was tempted by Satan.

Been here forever - first post!

I'm thinking 40 days has something to do with Lent. Maybe not chronologically - but symbolically? With the bible scene they are clearly establishing him as a man of Faith!

To add to the theory of Ekco being a man of faith, he comforted Bernard with "I will pray for you/I will pray for her" when Bernard asked if he had found any African-American women among the dead. I leaning toward the pastor/missionary bent as well...and also that he is a native African. 40 days of mourning to show respect for the dead is customary in many African nations. His silence was his mourning.

Or possibly Eko is a shaman?

Or possibly Eko is a shaman?

Not if he's a Christian. The only way shamanism and christianity mix is in some forms of voodoo (santeria, possibly?). Shamanism usually deals with spirits, divination, etc., which Christianity tends to look at as evil. Old Testamant states you "shall not suffer a witch to live." Shamans would be considered witches to most Christians. It would be cool if he were a shaman, but Locke seems to fit that bill more than Eko, at least right now. (Remember Boone's experience with the halllucinogen--his survival in the forest and vision are reminiscent of a manhood ritual, or vision quest.)

In Matthew Jesus fasted in the desert for forty days and forty nights while he was tempted by Satan.

Bingo, kscruggs. I'm with you on this.

Another theory I'll toss out there: We already know that everyone on this island is much more complicated than initial appearances make them out to be. So my guess is that Mr. E is religious now, but at some point in the past was a warrior of some sort. He's converted. He was clearly VERY handy with weaponry and fighting, and he has the sort of strong, bulky body associated with physical exertion.

So that, or maybe recently he was a warrior and before that was religious, and re-found his religion on the island (like Locke getting his legs back, and also like Sayid's guilt and misery over reverting back to a torturer with Sawyer and then heading off alone into the jungle...)

Either way, he got tempted by what he believed was evil, and went through his own period of repenting.

Just another wrinkle to add. Apply your own level of significance to it. In Judaism, the mourning period for non-parents is roughly 40 days, including three separate phases, including burial time and shiva, as well as a 30-day prohibition on celebratory activities. Is this relevant? It is part of the Old Testament, and the Torah, so who knows?

Yes, Ecko seems to be a man of Faith. Perhaps a missionary. He was dressed very nicely in a suit when the plane crashed. Looked very "civilian". But I noticed how "native" he quickly became. I wondered if he had maybe lived in a tribe where missionaries visited. Perhaps he was converted and decided to become a missionary himself. He may have been on his way to the States to school or further his calling. We have missionaries from other countries come to our church frequently to raise awareness of their country's needs.

With Goodwin mentioning that the people on the list were "good", I wonder if that means those who are left are people who have made grave choices in their pasts. (Kate, Sawyer, Charlie, Locke, Claire, etc.) So, wonder what Mr. Ecko did in the past? He seems very capable of fighting!

Eko is definetly of some type of Christian Faith. Here are the paralles:

I think the point the writers are trying to make is he is a man of religious background. Possible a religion fanatic, a priest, a deacon, or some other religious role. The parrells are:

1. The staff - Moses was given a staff by God when he was exiled for 40 days. Eko started to make a staff when he felt he needed to be exiled.
2. Penance / Lent - Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights as penance when he was outcast to the wilderness. Lent is the 40 days before Easter where Catholics fast to imitate Jesus fasting and mimic his suffering. This would be considered a penance for wrong doing

Lent -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent
Penance - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penance)

3. The bible - Out of all of things in the crate to take notice of, (duh the radio) the only thing Eko looked at was the bible.

4. Praying - Eko said he would pray for th kidnapped, or dead. Can't remember which.

5. Burying the bodies - The lagees burned their dead bodies from the crash if I remember correctly. Eko made sure theirs were buried. Very religious practice.

These things onl occur in Christian based religions.

I agree withthe person who said Eko looked at the inside cover instead of actually inside the bible. Ithink there was a name there, that confirmed something to him. Perhaps one of the Nigerians were his father? The preist?

I am still stuck on my original findings that his name is Dr. Ako..... now like the Black Rock it can be taken one way or mean something so obvious. We see the word Doctor and we instantly assume Doctor of Medician.... not always the case... could be Doctor of Languages ... Doctor of the Arts... or yes even Doctor of Religions

I still think in is Ako and now more so than ever!! He may be a Japanese Buddhist Monk for all we know.....
ok stop that laughing I here you :biggrin:


Go here to this site first and scroll down to the T’s
torches of transmigration in English ako
while scrolling down take note of dharma in japan

http://www.jodo.org/terminology/english.html

then go to this page

http://www.jodo.org/about_js/other_ceremo.html

under funeral it says….

These "torches of transmigration" symbolize the renunciation of the defiled, human world by the deceased and the embracing of the Pure Land.


I think the tattoo is a branding and it is Buddhist (no good pictures of the middle of it yet) But I have an one or two ideas what it is. I look to more oriental to me.

Symbols are used in punishments in the form of branding marks just a little on it under Symbols on this page.
http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/hindu/ascetic/dharma.html

here is a new pic of his tattoo does it look religous in anyway???
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b381/happypixie/atatto.jpg

I agree withthe person who said Eko looked at the inside cover instead of actually inside the bible. Ithink there was a name there, that confirmed something to him. Perhaps one of the Nigerians were his father? The preist?

Maybe it was his name:eek2: :eek2:

Bingo, kscruggs. I'm with you on this.
Another theory I'll toss out there: We already know that everyone on this island is much more complicated than initial appearances make them out to be. So my guess is that Mr. E is religious now, but at some point in the past was a warrior of some sort. He's converted. He was clearly VERY handy with weaponry and fighting, and he has the sort of strong, bulky body associated with physical exertion.

I would definitely agree with this. I think while he may be a man of faith now, he wasn't always. In a previous time I'd say he was a bad ***.

What makes me think this is not his handiness with weapons but the fact that he was being dragged away from Two Others, he could have easily gotten free and ran but he didn't, not only did he stay and fight, he killed them by bashing their heads in with a rock. I wonder if part of the reason for his non-speech was because he had reverted back to who he once was? Whatever the answer, along with Locke, Ecko is now the most interesting character on the island for me.

Maybe it was his name:eek2: :eek2:
I kind of had that feeling myself...