The “They” in “They’re Coming”

There’s been a lot of thoughts as to what Jacob’s dying words to FLocke really meant. The “They” in “They’re coming” could have meant Ilana’s group, or perhaps the 70s Losties group, or maybe even both. From the viewer’s perspective, Jacob’s statement is conveniently timed just as the 70s Losties detonate Jughead, even though, as we all know, that actual event took place decades earlier. It seems obvious to me, the success of that past event (well supposed success..) has correlation with “They’re coming”. Just as MIB had his loophole plan, Jacob had his own counter attack plan, which ultimately depends on the choices of man which Jacob had complete faith in to always result in progress, and hopefully continue delaying the inevitable “only ending once” that both Jacob and MIB acknowledge.

As dying Jacob makes that statement, the Losties crew of Juliet, Sawyer, Daniel, Miles, Charlotte, and pre-Flocke Locke, could indeed be coming any moment, or may have already arrived, during one of their island time-skipping journeys. Remember it? It must have been 2007, at the beach camp; the day they were looking for their missing zodiac boat, and chose to go in one of the outriggers instead. The Aijira water bottle they found laying in the outrigger indicates it must have been soon after the Aijira crash. A group of “other others” (which Sawyer aptly nicknamed..) soon followed pursuit in one of the other outriggers, even firing shots.

Let’s suppose this was the “They’re coming” event, or the beginning of chain of events, Jacob was referring to. Keep in mind, it was the beginning of two major chains of events in the story of Lost; the first being Locke leaving the island and dying, the second being the rest of the Losties crew minus Charlotte ending up in the 70s and eventually detonating Jughead. The first chain of events was crucial in FLocke’s plan, the second unnecessary and perhaps a threat to Flocke’s plan, as we may discover in season six to be Jacob’s plan all along.

I could imagine Flocke gathering the real Locke’s memories (don’t know how, he seems to remember other memories the real Locke had!!) as he’s watching Jacob’s corpse burning in the fire, remembering the Losties crew that he last saw at the well; never anticipating in his loophole scheme that, if they did survive, they could be the variables that may change whatever happened, happened to what never happened.

If the crew of Juliet, Sawyer, Daniel, and Miles could be stopped from going to the 70s and assisting with the Jughead detonation, wouldn’t Flocke be determined to kill all of them before the real Locke turns the wheel? If that’s the case, Flocke’s first objective after exiting the statue foot would be to quickly put together a plan with his group of Others to search for and intercept the Losties. Perhaps the next day (it was daylight during that time skip) they discover the 70s crew stealing their outrigger at the beach camp, and follow pursuit; this group of others, maybe even including Flocke himself, could have been the “other others”!

Juliet is successful at shooting one of the other others..perhaps Flocke himself? How would that that be for Jacob-MIB checkmate? (OK that would be cheesy, but possible!)