Christian Shephard
He’s one of the least understood characters in the series and it has been confusing to even think about what he may or may not be or represent. I have a few thoughts on this issue after seeing “Everybody Loves Hugo” last night. The key to this for me is Hugo asknowledging (correctly, in my estimation) that the whispers are the voices of the souls on the island and have nothing to do with Nemesis.
I believe that when Christian’s body landed on the island, Nemesis took it from the coffin because he knew he could use the form of Christian to manipulate Jack, among others. However, Christian’s soul was on the island as well (I’m just going to use the word “soul” to describe the phenomenon of “seeing dead people” like Jacob and Michael to Hugo). So while Christian (soul) was “walking” around on the island, Nemesis was also taking his form (since his body was also on the island). I think it’s important to realize that of all the times we’ve seen Christian on the island, it has not been the same person each time. Sometimes it’s actually Christian and other times it’s Nemesis in Christian’s form. I have a general idea about how this could’ve unfolded.
When Locke visits the cabin and is told to “move the island”, it’s Christian telling him to do so. Christian is part of the “lost souls” on the island and is interested in its survival. Claire is also present in the cabin at this time and Christian tells Locke that it’s “best if you didn’t tell anyone that you saw her here”. I think this is because if Locke had told anyone about Claire’s whereabouts, Nemesis/Smoke Monster (being able to scan people) could learn of Claire’s/Christian’s location and perhaps their plans. Christian is telling the truth about speaking on Jacob’s behalf because Jacob is the “shephard” of the lost souls on the island. Important to note that we never actually see or hear what Christian says to Locke about moving the island; we only know it from what Locke says to Ben and Hugo once he gets outside.
Later on at the Frozen Wheel Chamber (during the time flashes, in an unknown time/year), Christian tells Locke “I told YOU to move it”. We didn’t see Christian tell that to Locke at the cabin. Christian in the Wheel Chamber is Nemesis taking his form. Nemesis somehow learned (through scanning people or eavesdropping, who knows) that Christian told Locke to move the island. I think Christian told Locke that the island had to be moved, not necessarily that HE move it. Nemesis is manipulating Locke in the Wheel Chamber so that Locke will turn the wheel himself, thus “exiting” in order to die and have his body return. Nemesis also confirms Locke’s statement about his own death being a sacrifice. This, again, is Nemesis manipulating Locke to further his agenda; he needs Locke to die to take his form and thus control over the Others. I think the clearest proof that Christian in the Wheel Chamber is actually Nemesis is the fact that he tells Locke that he cannot help him up. The real Christian (soul) would be unable to do so physically, of course, but if that were the reason why he couldn’t help Locke then why is he able to hold a lantern? The reason he couldn’t help Locke is because he is actually Nemesis, and there are rules about directly intervening. He has to talk Locke into it and not do anything for him, much like talking Ben into stabbing Jacob. (The “say hello to my son” line still confuses me though).
We see Christian again telling Michael that he “can go now” on the freighter. This appearance is directly preceeded by the whispers. In this instance, I believe this is the real Christian. The whispers go a long way toward proving that but also think about what Christian is saying. Michael told Hugo (as a ghost on the island) that he is stuck there because of what he did. Christian told Michael that he could go because he had “earned” his stay, or something like that (redemption, etc). Christian was representing the collective of souls of the island. Real Christian.
Again we see Christian when Sun and Lapidus arrive on the main island after Ajira316 lands. I’ve stated it before that Christian cannot be the Monster in that instance, since Flocke was still with Ben on Hydra at that time. However, two strange things happen to confuse the heck out of me and my theory. First, Monster “taxi” noises are heard in the trees as Sun and Lapidus arrive on the dock. Second, Christian tells Sun to “wait for John Locke” (Nemesis) if she ever wants to see Jin again.
Bottom line, I think Christian represents a part of the “collective soul” (great 90’s band, btw) that has the island’s best interest at hand. I believe this puts him on Jacob’s side. Nemesis saw an opportunity with Christian, as he had with Eko, as a vehicle to manipulate John Locke. Nemesis told Sawyer that Jacob pushed him, little by little, to the island. I think Nemesis pushed John Locke, through the use of Christian and others, little by little, to his death and then back to the island. The biggest question for me surrounding this issue is this: Nemesis may have motivated Locke to do all that he did in leaving the island and dying, but he had seemingly no control over getting Locke’s body BACK to the island. It was ELOISE who told Jack that Locke had to go as well.. Eloise working in Nemesis’ interest.. confusing..
Just an after-thought.. if my theory is correct that Nemesis can impersonate Christian as Christian’s soul is also on the island independently, then the same should be true for Locke. Would be amazing if Hugo speaks to Locke’s soul in the near future. Maybe Desmond hitting Locke with his car has something to do with that.
I really like your thoughts on this. Christian is one of the biggest unanswered questions for me. Everything you said seems to be very logical/plausible. My only fear is that with so few episodes left, this seems like a lot to explain in such a short time (especially with the way they have just been giving us little by little each week). Which is why I have this fear that the mystery to Christian Shepard may never be answered. As a side note I was thrilled to finally get a definitive answer on the whispers. Thanks for the post!
I’ll have to double check, but i think christian did tell locke in the cabin that “you have to move the island”. to which locke tells ben and hurley, “we have to move the island”.
@ekolocation.. pls let me know, but I’m pretty darn sure that it goes like this:
Christian: .. ask the one question that truly matters.
Locke: How do I save the island?
Christian: (says nothing but smiles, scene cuts to outside)
The first time we hear the phrase “move the island” is Locke telling Ben and Hugo what Christian said (outside the cabin).
@ ClaireBlueEyes.. thanks for your comment. I agree that with so little time left, there may not be enough to explain all of these loose ends and we can debate on this website for years after the show ends. I mean, it makes creative sense to leave it open just a little bit, because then they’ll have an active fanbase long after the show actually ends.
I think you’re right Inquisitor. We didn’t see exactly how Christian told Locke to move it.
Collective Soul was awesome.
Hi Inquisitor, during the conversation that Hurley has with Michael’s spirit; Michael tells Hurley that the reason he is stuck in ‘limbo’ on ‘the island’ and can’t move on is because of what he did.
I took this specifically to mean, that he killed Ana Lucia and Libby, and is therefore stuck. Hurley asks if there are others like him, and Michael says that there are.
Because Christian Shephard’s death did not take place on ‘the island’ and he didn’t do anything that would cause him to be stuck in ‘limbo’; I believe that in most instances we are seeing Nemesis in his form.
I do believe that Christian’s appearances to Jack were also to manipulate Jack when it was felt that he needed a ‘little push’ in the direction Nemesis wanted him to go.
Still, it is possible that Christian may have appeared in spirit form.
Great thoughts and theory.
This re-raises two questions for me: 1. Why/how was Claire in the cabin and what happened to her when she disappeared, and 2. Why did Christian’s shoes need to be on Locke’s body?
Christian appearing to Jack off island. can that be Nemesis?
something tells me nemesis cannot appear off island so I really like this theory. I do feel that christian has been nemesis at times but the majority of the time he was either “himself” or the Island spirit..
Where has he been this season, btw?
If it was Nemesis in the chamber with Locke, and not Christian, then the “say hell to my son” thing could have been his way of getting Jack, a candidate, back to the island so he could kill him/leave on the plane/whatever his real plan is. Like when Nemesis took over Locke’s body, he gained access to all of his knowledge and memories, so if he was using Christian, he would know that his relationship with Jack was important in manipulating Jack.
Christian being 2 different versions, would also explain how he appeared to Michael on the freighter. They were inside the “bubble”, so Christian’s soul could still reach the boat, while Nemesis couldn’t.
I’ve always found Christian to be a huge part om the Lost ,mythology – and it would greatly dissapoint me if it turned out differently.
I always try to spread(for tjose who havent seen them)the Lost Missing Peices(Youtube them) they’re basically short clips of events we didn’t get to see(some seemeingly important, others just funny)and look for the last one – So it begins
This little clip features th POV of Vincent, running through the jungle – ending up with a suited Christian who calls for him and says – “My son Jack is unconcious there in the jungle – I need you to go wake him up..(and Vincent runs off)he has work to do..” And then we see Vincent waking Jack up, as he did – right after the crash in the Pilot.
This, I truly believe to be Christian.
I see little reason why Nemesis would have to put on a show like that for Vincent of all peo..creatures.
Also, when Hurley finds the Cabin and takes a peek – it’s clearly Christian sitting in the chair, suit sneakers and all(and then Hurley is startled by the sudden appearence of an unknown man – something that MUST be important)
I believe this too is real Christian.
Then “He” started acting strange with the whole taking of Claire and all that(which we asume has been “confirmation” it was Nemesis – by the obvious relationship between them we learned of later on)
and that’s when I began to think that perhaps “Christian”/Nemesis are defined by their cloathes. Suited with white shoes – Real Christian, Dirty “Others-cloathes” – Nemesis.
It made sense to me that an Entity posing as someone on an Island such as this, would wear something different from a suite, right?
It’d basically seem/look “weird” even in Lost(to the characters as well as us viewers)
But then we have his appearance to Michael on the frighter.
First of all(I’m not a hundred, but I think he presents himself as Christian)
and says – “You can go now Michael..”
First of all – I found his line significant becuase he seems to say it with authority,
really speaking for the Island.
And as we know, the reason Michael couldn’t kill himself, or even die at all(Keamy’s gun jamming)was because the Island wasn’t done with him.
But literally seconds after Christian’s appearance – Michael is “freed”(Which makes we a little sceptic about his latest appearance to Hurley – having been “redeemed” he shouldn’t be trapped, being dead – he himself should have had the chance to Tell Libby he was sorry.
But I’m not really sure how I feel)
But perhaps most important – having now been confirmed what many of us have suspected, that Nemesis can move over water
it’s safe to say – it wasn’t him with Michael.
He then presents himself again to John down in the well, where he sends him off with – Say hello to my son(but without saying who it was.)
Inspite of the rest of his comments – Locke having to die in order to get them all back, I’m starting to believe more and more that perhaps this was real Christian
too.(After all – in retrospect – John did in fact have to die to get them back, his death finally brought them together, something he couldn’t do alive – as Christian put it “That’s why they call it sacrifice”)
Now, one could argue that as Nemesis(Via Richard)was the one who put in motion
the whole “Get them back to the Island”
then clearly Christian with Locke in the Well was Nemesis.
But as we also know, Jacob/the Island have had their eyes on the Losties their entire lives(or so it seems) and…! they WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO LEAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE!
Nemesis and Christian/the Island/Jacob
may all want the Losties back, but for different reasons.
Nemesis: to get “home”
the Island: to stop that from happening.
For those of us who have read the Whispers-transcripts it seemed logical that they were in fact Voices of the dead.(Though I hope we haven’t “heard” the last of them, who is trapped, for what reason and what purpose(Boone has been heard whispering to Shannon for instance, why is e trapped)
But this is important because it does Tell us that they are not exlusive to neither Nemesis or the Others(As we have been lead to believe for long),
but a(several) entity that observes the events unfolding and even commenting/arguing on them to each other.
Now, the Christian that appeared to Sun and Frank seemed to be Nemesis, simply because he Told them to wait for John Locke(which a supernatural being should be aware of is dead)
So it appeared to be just a simple way of playing some Losties into his own hands.
However, as we now know that Nemesis cant fly over water and he was presenting himself as John on the Hydra Island(which he must have gotten to in human form I suppose)then Christian on the main Island should be “real”
Why he would Tell them to wait
for the “Enemy”? – simple;
Christian is obvoiusly not a “regular ghost” but higher, enlightened being.
He most likely knows that/if Nemesis
can’t kill them(in other words – they’re “safe”) and together with him is simply the path they have to take to get where they need to end up(everything else is just progress, right..?)
Christian is not Nemesis or even feeding them to him – He’s simply pushing them in a certain direction on the Island’s behalf.
He even Told Frank and Sun that they had a Long journey ahead of them.
Now, the one thing that I’m having a hard time coming up with an explanation for,
is when(or rather why) he “takes” Claire.
Her upcoming relationship with Nemesis sure makes it look like it was him in the cabin
(I have yet to find an answer as to when the Ash Circle was broken – if after then it couldn’t have been Nemesis – if after(had a theory about Nemesis himself disturbing the ash during his time in the jungle away from Ben, Sun and Frank.
But then some timeflash would have to be in play)- it could be)
In fact Nemesis may in fact have even used Claire to disturb the Ashes.(I’m hoping No – it’s real Christian, but that raises other questions off course)
However Claire’s relationship with
Nemesis is not only dark – but almost pitch-black. In the guise of John Locke Claire clearly sees someone/thing
different(“That’s not John..”to Jin)
Or she just might be “aware” that he’s someone else(then again, Claire doesn’t seem to be aware of much of anything)
She says she hasn’t been alone – but with her Father and Friend(Real Christian and Nemesis or Just Nemesis..?)
I have yet to come up with a satisfying explanation to why Nemesis would have
to use two different Appearences to integrate with the same person over such a long period(Her Father should be enough)
Well, that’s all I have for now, please keep the ball rolling
Did anyone notice that Jack went weird at the end when “Locke” talked to him? Jack came out of the jungle behind Sun and Frank, saw Kate and smiled, then saw “Locke” and his face changed, and then when “Locke” said “hello, Jack” his face went so weird. Is that because it’s his first time seeing Locke alive, even though Jack knows he’s dead, and it freaks him out, or because Locke spoke first, is Jack now going to turn like Sayid did?
@DrMrWizard
I think he is looking at Locke in awe..
sort of like, I’m seeing it, but I don’t believe it kind of thing.
Nothing to do with the latter.
Brad
I really like this theory, I’d mentioned in an earlier (quite a while ago) theory that I thought that Christian was a ghost as well as smokie. All this evidence or two different Christian’s is huge. An interesting point on which ghosts are on the island, dabs brought up that Christian didn’t die on the island so he can’t be the same as Michael. Michael didn’t die on the island either – he blew up on the freighter, which was OUTSIDE the radius of the island. So is it that i you’ve been on the island your soul is forever connected to it not matter where you die. Can some ghosts choose to stay / come back to talk to Hurley and are others forced to stay? Other ghosts, Ana Lucia, shot the guy who shot her, Charlie, drug addict. Is that why Libby hasn’t come to talk to Hurley, she’s was allowed to move on? Then raises the question when was Christian on the island and what did he do?
my keyboard is not typing fs well, you’ll have to insert them above where appropriate 🙂
I don’t know about Charlie being stuck – he made appearences to Hurley off Island(and strangely at Santa Rosa – is seen by another patient)
But they may not be stuck just on the island, but stuck on earth, they can’t move on and the island is just their home base?
Thanks everyone for all the comments! Glad to start such a rich debate..
The ash circles are a confusing piece to me. This speaks to the confusion about Claire’s departure from the group and appearance in the cabin. There was an ash circle around the cabin as well as an ash circle around the rocking chair inside the cabin. Outside ash was grey/white, rocking chair ash was black. We’ve seen the different colored ash throughout maybe one repels Jacob and the other repels Nemesis. Perhaps Nemesis used the ash to enclose Christian in the chair?
Question that needs to be answered for sure is WHO broke the ash surrounding the cabin and WHAT that allowed to happen with it being broken.
I just watched the scene where Locke asks Christian how to save the island (the time we see Claire in the cabin) and it LOOKS like Christian is wearing hiking boots and NOT his white sneakers. Any thoughts?
Christian didn’t die on the island or anywhere near it, so why would his soul be on the island? Michael says that his is stuck there cause of what he did. So I don’t think Christian’s soul is trapped on the island.
Also if the whispers were always just the trapped souls (which Im trying to figure out if I believe) why is it that every time we heard them in earlier season we damn near always heard the smoke monster coming immediately after? And why would Ben tell young Danielle that when she hears the whispers in the jungle that she better run the opposite way?
@ greatforsaken: maybe the whispers were warning the losties that the smoke monster was coming and that they should run!