Brainwashing
In episode S03E07 ‘Not In Portland’, Sawyer Kate and Alex rescue Carl while he appears to be being brainwashed. One of the slides says ‘God loves you as He loved Jacob’. It doesn’t say ‘loves Jacob’, but ‘loved’ past tense.
When I first saw the episode, I just assumed it was purely a Biblical reference, but on rewatching, knowing what we know, it creates some other strange ideas. Taken literally it would seem to indicate to me some kind of fall from grace on Jacob’s part.
On a related note, in some previous episode (I don’t remember which at the moment) I seem to recall Ben saying something along the lines that even God can’t see the island, or some such.
So, if we nitpick every little detail (which we all know we do), then the past tense of ‘loved’ might indicate that Jacob isn’t the good guy he seems to be.
I just re-watched season 3 with my wife and was wondering the same things.
carl also mumbles it one time after they break him out.
nice catch on the past tense, i dont think i picked that up, i completely missed it the first time i watched it because there had been no mention of Jacob yet.
I also found myself wondering about the part where in Julliette’s story (one of us) Richard tells her you created life where life is not supposed to be…where we are going you can do just that.
“Loved” in this context would suggest a fall from grace by Jacob. Because the brainwashing incident took place in 2004, 3 years before Jacob was killed by Ben, this fall from grace likely occurred before the Losties ever came to the island. Perhaps Jacob’s fall from grace is related to or is the same thing as the destruction of the statue. Good pick up Greylark.
so maybe jacob has gone rogue-is intent on proving that he chooses for himself. that maybe God isn’t in charge and that God doesn’t always have the big ‘plan’-man’s free will should win out. could be that our man in black is there to prove jacob wrong…that because of his very nature man is flawed and needs his destiny to be determined for him. interesting.
or…’love each other as i have loved you’…these words were imparted by Christ to his disciples prior to his physical death and subsequent return to heaven. the quote regarding Jacob certainly parallels this one.
Good catch!
Greylark, I recall the wording sticking out to me as well. It was almost as if the wording was in the past tense.
Perhaps, Jacob fell from grace.