Candidates, Candor, Candidus…
Written 1st April
OK, so I’ve had this idea floating on my mind for some time, and I wanted to share some of my thoughts and findings about this with you… see what you think….
It’s this whole thing about “candidates” and “candidacy” to replace Jacob… From what we have seen, it looks like Jacob has been bringing people to the island for a long-ass time, and that candidates have come and gone (i.e. been killed) time and time again. He had a long list of them (up to 108, but probably more), and now we’re down to the last 6 (Jacob himself confirmed that when talking to Illana at the hospital)…
But here’s what gets me: the very definition of “a candidate to replace Jacob” means that Jacob will need to be replaced…. So, even as far back as the start of this “game” or “face-off” between Jacob and MIB, the very fact that “candidates” existed means that both Jacob and MIB knew that, eventutally, at some point, MIB would manage to kill Jacob (by means of his famous “loophole”) and that he would need a replacement!! So, from Jacob’s perspective, his game is all about finding the candidate to replace him when he inevitably “dies” (or loses the game). The point of the game is waiting until MIB finally “wins”???? Why would he need “candidates” to replace him if, as he told MIB on the beach, “he is wrong”???
With this reasoning, it would be fair to conclude that Jacob knows he’s going to lose before the game even begins… Otherwise, I don’t understand the point of there being “candidates”…….
Unless, of course, the endgame is not simply Jacob “dying”, and the “entity” within Jacob is passed on from one “candidate” to the next? Let me try to explain that better: the Jacob we see now is just “housing” an entity that lives on despite the body dying, and it can only be housed in a “candidate”. So, perhaps the Jacob we see now is simply the last “candidate” that filled the spot that the previous embodiment of the “entity” left when it died. Think of that phrase MIB said to Richard: “Jacob took my body and my humanity” – what if, like some of you have mentioned here, the Jacob we see now is the actual original body of MIB, and when he became the “winning candidate”, the “entity” took MIB’s body/humanity (the Jacob we know) and left his soul to roam about as Black Smoke….???
Take this one step further… I particulary like this because it fits nicely with my comments elsewhere about the importance of LATIN in Lost…. For those of you reading this post who don’t know what I’m talking about, what I mentioned before can be summarised as:
1. Jacob and Ilana refer to Richard as “Ricardus” – not Richard, and not “Ricardo” (his original name in Spanish).
2. The answer to the ever-intriguing question about “what lies in the shadow of the statue” is in fact given by Ricardus in latin: “ille qui nos omnes servabit” (he who will protect us all).
Which brings the question: when/where/how did spanish-speaking Ricardo learn Latin??? The when can be somewhat derived from his arrival in the island: at this point he did not know Latin (a poor farmer in 19th century Tenerife would most definitely not speak Latin), so he must have learned it AFTER The Black Rock crashed. Where? Possibly in the island – but with his travels off-island, he may have picked it up elsewhere… And how? Well, since Jacob keeps referring to him as Ricardus, then it would make sense to think Jacob himself taught him, but again this may not necessarily be true… In any case, though, I think this reinforces the point that Latin is of some relevance to the big picture.
But if you’re still not convinced, check this out:
Candidate. From the Latin candidatus (he who dresses in white), from the verb candere (to be white, to shine intensely). Term coined in ancient Rome used to describe those who presented themselves as applicants for public office. In the Roman political ritual, “candidates” had to change their togas for a white tunic (candida) with which they appeared in public to prove the purity and honesty expected from public men. The related term candidus defines honesty, humility and purity of soul.
(This definition is a direct translation from an online dictionary about Spanish language origins, you can check it out for yourselves here:
http://www.elcastellano.org/palabra.php?q=candidato
Or you can check out any online english dictionary that will confirm the Latin origin of the term).
Wow… so a “candidate” actually dresses in white (sound familiar??)… is honest…. pure of soul….
What does this say about Jacob’s role in te big picture…..?
I think I need to give this some more thought, not sure where it’s leading…. but interesting nevertheless, don’t you think?
I don’t think Jacob started listing candidates (or MIB keeping track of them in the cave) until MIB made that first attempt on Jacob’s life by manipulating Ricardus.
Check out my theory
“Ricardus – MIB’s 1st Assassin”
I do think this was an interesting read. Heres a few thoughts i had as I was reading:
A candidate does not have to be killed for them to loose there candidacy. There are names on the list that have been crossed out and the character isn’t dead (Linus, Straume, Littleton).
There was at least 360 candidates. We know this because there is 360 degrees in a circle and each degree on the wheel in the lighthouse had a name.
Jacob knowing he needed to be replaced doesn’t necessarily mean he knew he had to die. Or maybe he knew he had to die and he would have to sacrifice himself (hence the weak attempt defending himself with Ben) but didn’t know how.
Jacob didn’t lose the game when he died. He will lose the game if MIB leaves the island. I think Jacob won the game when MIB had him killed because he knew he would have to sacrifice himself.
“Why would he need “candidates” to replace him?”- One of the biggest mysteries on the show and I can’t wait to find out.
“the Jacob we see now is just “housing” an entity that lives on despite the body dying”- Great. Just like how Lockes body is hosting MIB. but, If Jacobs body was really the MIB, whos body is the one dressed in black on the beach scene at the foot? Is that a body that the Black smoke was residing in at the time?
The explanation for the Latin may be very simple: The others needed a way to communicate in front of outsiders and still keep their privacy. They chose a dead language that no one in the world speaks.
The candidate definition stuff is great. It’s one of those little nuances about the show that make it great.
Joshcgs- “I don’t think Jacob started listing candidates (or MIB keeping track of them in the cave) until MIB made that first attempt on Jacob’s life by manipulating Ricardus.”- How do you explain the fact that Jacob and MIB where sitting on the beach looking at the Black Rock talking about all the people that Jacob has brought to the island already? Unless you think that wasn’t the Black Rock but I wont even go there.
Jacob told Richard that he brings people to the island to prove MIB wrong, to show that people are not sinner by nature and can be good, make good/right choices.
Is it not until MIB tries to kill Jacob using Ricardus that Jacob says “if you kill me, some1 else will take my place”
Pretty obvious that he knows he is not going to die from old age or disease. Once he recognizes that a legitimate threat has been made on his life, he starts looking for candidates – just a theory
Read it, Ricardus – MIB’s 1st Assassin
And yes that is def the black rock in the s5 finale, we agree on that 1 for sure
Really? Is it really The Black Rock? Are you sure? ‘Cause…. just kidding!!!!! LOL Despite the differences in the two episodes where we see TBR approaching the island, it would be unnecessary to bring about two different ships of similar characteristics into the picture. Although I’m not a big fan of “unnecessary” differences like this one, I think with TBR us “perfectionists” have to take a hit…
@wharfrat77,
Thanks for all your comments. This thing about the candidates has got my head spinning, and when I came across that definition of “candidate” I just needed to share it with you guys here. I think the link between the whiteness, purity and honesty of “candidates” with the concept of Jacob as free will vs. MIB as destiny is extremely symbolic – and I’m sure it’s intentional.
““the Jacob we see now is just “housing” an entity that lives on despite the body dying”- Great. Just like how Lockes body is hosting MIB. but, If Jacobs body was really the MIB, whos body is the one dressed in black on the beach scene at the foot? Is that a body that the Black smoke was residing in at the time?”
That would have to be the obvious assumption: Locke’s kindred spirit and predecessor, another “candidate” tricked by Jacob?
Now THAT would be something: can anybody else picture Jack’s body housing the “entity” withink Jacob, and Jack’s personality fusing into Locke’s body and the personalities of MIB amd Locke? One thing I can’t seem to get off my mind is the fact that, somehow, hidden inside the MIB/Flocke, is John Locke’s mind: “don’t tell me what I can’t do!!!” – how the hell otherwise can that be explained???
€joshcgs,
Sorry, forgot to mention this. I’re read your theory and there’s a lot of stuff there that I like. You almost had me convinced that Richard was his first “assassin” – but then I read wharfrat77’s comment about their chat on the beach and Jacob bringing people many times before The Black Rock (also his chat with Richard on the beach after his assasination attempt) – and I can’t seem to believe that never before had he tried this….
fresnele, it doesn’t become apparent that Nemesis intended to kill Jacob until their conversation on the beach with The Black Rock sailing towards ‘the island’. We still do not have their ‘history’ and/or background to know what played out previously between them.
It is from this particular ‘beach’ conversation that Nemesis tells Jacob that he is going to find his loophole to kill him. From this point on, Jacob is anticipating Nemesis’ loophole.
The ‘candidates’ are where Jacob is going to draw a suitable ‘recruit’ to replace him. Nemesis is attempting to limit Jacob’s choices.
I don’t think they have “candidates” because MIB/Jacob knew he would kill Jacob. I think they have candidates because whoever set-up this situation knew that Jacob was “human” and wouldn’t be around forever (or may go crazy too) and someone would need to replace him.
@dabs (I think this is what people on this site have come to call you, so with your permission…), thanks for the comments!
To be prceise, this is what their conversation on the beach actually says (from Lostpedia transcript):
MAN IN BLACK: Do you have any idea how badly I wanna kill you?
JACOB: Yes.
MAN IN BLACK: One of these days, sooner or later… I’m going to find a loophole, my friend.
JACOB: Well, when you do, I’ll be right here.
So…
1. Jacob DOES know how badly MIB wants to kill him (before this conversation takes place, so it’s not far-fetched to think he’s tried before).
2. Jacob IS expecting MIB to try to kill him (so why act all surprised after Richard tries to kill him? He knows it ha to be done trough someone else – loophole – so why is he surprised?).
So, I stick to my original point. Plus, that last phrase from Jacob (“when you do, I’ll be right here”) is for me kind-of a give-away that he is just waiting for it to happen……
What I don’t get, though, as I commented on someone else’s post, is the different attitudes towards these murder attempts:
1. Richard – stops him violently, looks upset and surprised.
2. Ben – tries to reason, is expecting the attempt and is very calm.
What made him change his response to MIB’s attempts??? Why was the second one “successful” and the first one not? Hmmmm…