Set the so called ‘gunpowder’ to rest!!!!

Actually read my theory.
http://www.theoriesonlost.com/2010/02/the-ash-is/

I suspect its burnt bayan tree. the tree that the losties hid in during S1 when the monster chased them.

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Hi Wesley, good thoughts on Black Salt! I’d be interested in more info…

The only thoughts I had regarding the ash was, that it may have been Volcanic.

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Yeah im with Dabs on that one, when I first seen that ash I for some reason automatically thought it was volcanic but I have no reasoning besides just the look of it.

I do like the idea its those trees burnt ashes that the losties hide in when being chased by the Smoke but still no real reason why it does protect them.

I have a lil theory on it but dont want to spoil anything so beware…I believe it can be ashes from the M.I.B. maybe his ashes from his body being burnt maybe in a later episode (Like Jacob was) or something…I know ashes from a body being burnt isnt that dark but it is the ‘Man In Black’.

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Hello Wes, long time no talk…good to see you.

I havent heard a lot on the gunpowder, but I agree.

I am not positive what it is, but I have suspicion it may be from the fire Jacob was kicked into…possibly even the outside ring…

I also believe it may be ash from the volcano.

I was unsure what it was, but they say “ash” when Ilana and Bhram notice it broken.

Nice job clearing up gunpowder, but I cant say I agree on salt either…but its “magical properties” are almost undeniable.

I have people say also that it may be some form of magnetic like metal, due to Smokeys similar reaction to the sonic fence…I feel the answer will give us other answers as well.

I wrote a post called “Ring Around the Rosies…” with my thought on it being Jacobs ash, and how it becomes distributed.

But now that we see there is an abundance, its hard to not say it isnt something that is more in terms of quantity.

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I’d have to concur with the majority here: It’s definitely not gunpowder; You’d need a heck of a lot of it, and Im pretty sure armed guards wouldn’t carry around flammable bags of gunpowder while they’re firing off rounds.
I also dont think it’s salt. Black salt sounds fairly rare, and again you would need an awful lot for the amounts we’ve seen in the show.
But, I also don’t believe it’s Jacob’s ashes. Again, I could be wrong, but when people burn, they don’t leave a lot of ash behind - not even to make the amounts we’ve seen.
It’s ash. That’s for sure. But from what… I think we’ll have to figure that one out yet. For me… there is definitely a relationship between smoke and ash. We’re just missing the fire!

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We see the Ash around the cabin so it had to be there before Jacob ever was burnt so I dont think its Jacob’s ash but could be from the body of MIB.

He did throw Jacob’s body into the fire so maybe it was a little pay back. I also think this cause we see Jacob in the past & in the present with the same body but we only see MIB in what maybe his true form but it could be another host body or something IDK.

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I could be way off and this only fits with my personal theory about it all being rather egyptian, but the egyptians used to burn things that represented evil spirits/gods in a kind of ritual until they were ash, it could be that..

The Hindus used to do something similliar. Probally much the same as pagans and all other religions have a something like that in a circle.

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Semi-off topic:

Is the reference to the volcanoes only in one scene? Does anyone remember the episode?

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I think it’s likely to be a combination of things. A smokie repelant recipe. What if it has been treated to become special, soaked in the spring for example. I do like the idea that it contains some of the ashes of whatever smokie is. Homeopathy uses incredibly small amounts of the ‘problem’ as part of the cure. The Nazis were experimenting with this - if you cover a field with ashes that contain very small amounts of rabbit ash, the rabbits tens to stay away. they were supposedly looking into whether this could be used to ‘repel’ Jewish people. Sick and horrific I know, but a similar thing could be at work here with the ash - a really small amount of smokie mixed in with other stuff that is important / symbolic to the island - volcanic ash, the trees, sand?

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@ brokenankh42

“For me… there is definitely a relationship between smoke and ash. We’re just missing the fire!”

Brilliant connection! What could the fire be? Smoke leads to fire and fire leads to ash is an irrefutable process. For some reason I feel that this idea will be VERY important to the explaination of why it repels Smokie.

@ Tas

I also think that this is a very interesting theory and could fit quite well. I wonder where they get ashed from Smokie from. Is there a specific place? I don’t remember seeing him leaving any behind…

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Interesting observation: When Iliana’s people go into the temple and Smokie attacks them, one of Iliana’s people had a pouch of ash with him that he poured in a circle around himself. He came from off island didn’t he? I don’t remember them stopping anywhere and picking some of that stuff up…

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oops…I meant statue, not temple…sorry for any confusion.

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Moni - That guy from off Island is Bram & im sure he had more than enough time to get some ash from the Cabin while llana is in there inspecting or before or after they burn it down but thats the only place we directly see that ash & they visited that same place so maybe thats where but we shall see most likely.

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I don’t think he was able to hurt them because of JAcob’s touch. He “somehow” took the form of Hurley’s friend to get him to jump of the ledge, and he lamost got Jack to walk off a cliff before Locke saved him. He knows these people are special, but some of them are protected by Jacob’s touch. But now that he is dead, who knows?

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Moni, depending on who or what smokie is or was, thinking that what if he was burnt centuries ago and that is somehow how he became smokie. The original others could have a stash of ash to mix in. This isn’t a fully thought out idea, more of a what if.

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Wesley, I’m not saying it’s ALL smokie’s ashes, just a very small part. My idea on the homeopathic connection is that it is only a minute part of the overall make-up of the whole substance. I think the ash is made of a number of different things, each with their own symbolic importance which as a whole become more powerful than they are individually. That’s why I think in part we are all right, it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that the mix includes the trees, sand, volcanic ash, volcanic sand, black salt and smokie…

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If like elements repel, and unlike elements attract, then wouldn’t it be possible that whatever the ash is, that it’s made of the same properties as Smokey?

Those that are not sure what I mean, say you have two negatively charged magnets and you try to put the two together, well is doesn’t happen. They won’t connect, one pushes the other away. It would be the same effect if you have two positively charged magnets… They would need to be opposites inorder to make a connection…

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check this image out….

http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Exoduspart2monster.jpg

to me it clearly shows losties warding off smokie with dynamite, which essentially is explosive like gunpowder.

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I just saw the episode when Kate throws a stick of dynamite down a hole while coming back from the black rock. Its the finale of season 1

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