the island doesn’t want jacob, Locke knows. Desmond is the Variable.
I don’t believe that the Island and Jacob are connected, otherwise the smokie/Alex apparition wouldn’t have told Ben that he has to follow Locke’s every word. and it does seem like Locke does have an idea about what the island wants.
I do believe Jacob exists, we’ve caught a glimpse of him sitting in a chair and two different occasions where we have seen his eye, as well as him saying “help me”. and by the look of things hes a man with a beard who looks strangely like Desmond. also the rules of time travel don’t apply to him, we’ve seen that his past could be changed. Therefore not only do i believe Desmond is Jacob, I also believe he is the variable, not the past losties, because anything he does can defy the laws of time travel. hopefully the writers will shed some light on this in the later seasons, remember that he might be finished with the island, but the island isn’t finished with him.
but all i can say is I think the Island doesn’t want Jacob (or Desmond), so the island sent John Locke to do its dirty work.
Soupertrooper, I like your logic concerning the smoke monster telling Ben that he was to follow Locke’s direction.
I think at least we can say that the smoke monster is in favour of Locke’s leadership.
Locke is very much ‘in sync’ with ‘the island’, but I have a suspicion, this is Locke’s own idea to kill Jacob. That is not to say that ‘the island’ won’t support Locke’s decision, but there is always the chance…………
It has been stated by the writers that at the time Jacob was shown sitting in the chair, that it was an ‘extra’ who played the part of Jacob.
I don’t believe Jacob will turn out to be anyone we know at present.
Just my opinion!
Nice work!