Cabin Fever/Theories

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Main Article Theories about
Cabin Fever 		Main Discussion
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Contents

Identity of Locke's father

This character was not referred to by name in this episode, all we know is that 16 year old Emily is Locke's mother, and his grandmother refers to the father as "twice" Emily's age. The music playing during this flashback is Buddy Holly's "Everyday" - released in 1957. This means that Emily was born in 1941 and the father is approximately 32 - born around 1925, putting him at around 80 years of age at the point in time where Sawyer kills Cooper, Locke's supposed father.

Theory 1: Cooper is Locke's father.

Evidence:

  • Father is Cooper, not the "older" man she was dating: The man Emily is dating at that time is not necessarily John's father. After all, it's been about six months since the baby was conceived. Anthony Cooper doesn't seem much older than Locke, so he probably was also young when he impregnated Emily (and not 'twice her age'). This is also supported by the fact that Cooper says Emily told him she wasn't going to keep the baby and then disappeared. He may be lying about some parts, but it kinda makes it clear that the two of them weren't dating when John was born.
  • "Twice her age" may be an exaggeration (especially if the mother doesn't approve of the relationship).
  • The kidney: Cooper chose Locke because relatives are suitable donors, indicating that they are at least related.
  • Locke having to kill his father: This was part of the test/precondition for joining the Others.

Counter-evidence:

  • Cooper is definitely not the "older" man, he is not old enough to be twice Emily's age, born around 1925, putting him at around 80 years of age at the point in time where Sawyer kills him.
  • Unless Cooper doesn't age or has learned to time travel, there is no way this character is 80 years old. Take for example the actual age of the actor Kevin Tighe who plays Cooper; he was born in 1944!
  • Given the fact that he also had "end-stage kidney disease" which would require a transplant, living to this age would be unlikely, even after a transplant.
  • The kidney: According to Wikipedia [1], the fact that Locke donated his kidney to Cooper is also not proof of a blood relation, only that they have compatible blood types, preferably some degree of similar antigens, and that the donor evidences a willingness to donate and passes a screening that confirms their mental health and that they are not being coerced in any way (all part of the necessity of Cooper's "father" con). Cooper picked Locke because he could manipulate Locke based on his profile (orphan, gullible).
  • Locke having to kill his father: This was about getting out from under his need for a father figure, and his obsession with Cooper, regardless of whether he was really Locke's father.
  • Locke having to kill his father: Besides, Sawyer killed Cooper.
  • Locke believes Anthony Cooper to be his father, but since Cooper is a notorious liar, we cannot be sure of that. Cooper may have simply tricked Locke into believing that he was his father so he could get a kidney.

Theory 2: Richard Alpert is Locke's father.

Evidence:

  • Richard Alpert is "twice her age" is . That's how the Island inhabitants procreate, since pregnant women die if they conceive on the Island.
  • This is why Alpert is so interested in him and keeps track of Locke's life, appearing when he's a kid with the object(s) test, and later contacting his High School science teacher under the cover of Mittelos and suggesting Locke attend the "Summer Camp" ie. the Island.
  • Locke's grandmother could be lying, but it does seem like she would be angry at him if he was the father.

Counter-evidence:

  • Richard Alpert is not the father. When Emily's mother refers to the father as "Him," and describes him as "twice her age," the implication is she knows who her daughter is seeing. When the nurse asks if she knows the man in the window, she claims she does not. Unless she is lying to the nurse, Alpert is an unlikely candidate to be the father of the child.
  • If Alpert was the father, the whole pretense of the "test" would be unnecessary.

Consequences of moving the island

  • The Island is moved in time and space. The compass bearing of 305 and 325 will no longer lead to or from the Island.

Saving the World

  • Kelvin and his predecessors said they were 'just saving the world.' Although Desmond or Locke may not have understood how they were doing that, they were 'saving the world' by protecting the island. Keeping the Swan's energy from erupting kept the island inconspicuous and thus harder to find.
    • Damon and Carlton have said the world would've been destroyed if Desmond hadn't turned the failsafe key.

Dreams

  • Horace appeared to John in a dream, possible influenced by Jacob or the Island.
    • ...And appears to be in a literal "time loop," busy knocking the same tree over and over again. Time travel, plot point, and Greek mythology parallels rolled into one visual burrito! (At this point, there's not enough information to form a theory, as our equation is covered with way too many variables (especially this being a dreamlike vision and all), but the show has proven time and time again that no element is too small.)
  • People, including the dead, appear to "the chosen one" in dreams and give them the direction they need to lead their people and to protect the Island. This is why Ben said, "I used to have dreams, too." Ben used to be lead by his dreams the way Locke is now experiencing it. Either Jacob or "The Island" are controlling these images that "the chosen one" sees.

Keamy and the Secondary Protocol

  • The secondary protocol was not printed/produced by Widmore indicates that the Others are following the Dharma protocols in the event of an "attack" on the island. This is how Keamy and company know where to find Ben and how he knows where the elevator is to go to the "real", below ground orchid station.
  • The dialog from the shows transcript is - GAULT: What does it say? KEAMY: Says where Linus is going.
  • The secondary protocol Keamy got from the safe had the DHARMA logo. That would imply Charles Widmore is involved/interested in the DHARMA initiative (he also has a painting with the word "Namaste" in his office). Following the theory that Jacob and the Others overthrew Dharma, this seems consistent with the two forces (Widmore vs. Ben) being on opposite sides.
    • In The Lost Experience, we are made aware that Widmore's company was part of the project from the beginning. Since the Purge the Islands location changed. But now that he is has relocated where the Island is, he is trying to reclaim what he believes rightfully belongs to him.
  • The secondary protocol is a description of present events on the island from a future point of view. This protocol was transported back through time and is now used by Widmore to gain tactical advance.
    • The book will tell Keamy where Ben is going because it contains information from the future. Because the future is always in motion and can be written at any time, the information would be based on different scenarios that may have played out on the island.

Richard and Locke

  • Unlike the test of the Dalai Lama, the items Richard shows Locke are not from the past (which might imply reincarnation), but the future (we see him with the compass early in season 1, Eko gives him the Book of Laws) and the comic refers to a "Mystery island". These items are from Locke's future (like his drawing of the monster on the wall). This would imply that "special" people are able to glimpse the future and are not reincarnations. This could also explain why Daniel is mysteriously crying when he sees the crash of Flight 815, though he isn't yet involved in the mission.
    • On island, Locke tells us that he is getting his instructions from the island through his dreams. This is likely the same way he saw what he drew in the picture as a child. If Locke was having more "disruptive" glimpses into the future (link Minkowski & Desmond), this would have been mentioned by now in Locke's past.
      • Perhaps Alpert's old fashioned appearance when he first met Ben was a trick, similar to Tom's fake beard at the decoy camp. Maybe he knew he was going to meet Ben there in the Jungle and dressed in that way to fit the image of what the young Ben probably thought the hostiles would be like (savages).
  • In the style of The Terminator, the prophecy dictates that the savior of the island will be the premature son of a woman named Emily L.(similarly to the Terminator's assignment to find the son of a woman named Sarah Connor--which Sarah Connor, he doesn't know) is from the far distant future, coming back to check whether this son is Ben or Locke. Both men were born prematurely to women named Emily L. Once giving up on Locke, he chooses Ben. When the island no longer favors Ben, the others look to Locke as the next-best bet. Locke, however, shuns his destiny much like Charlie shunned his destiny to die, but will ultimately become the savior of the island (until the writers decide to throw another premature child of a woman named Emily L. into the show).

Locke is now "the Chosen One"

Theory 1: Locke's birth and status as a "special" person was known in advance

Evidence:

  • Alpert comes to the hospital when the infant Locke is ready to come out of the incubator.
  • Locke has always been the "Chosen One". Ben was spawned because Locke failed the object test. His supposed date of birth would have been right around the time that Locke messed up Richard's evaluation. Had he passed, Ben would not have been needed by the island as Locke would already have taken his position. As soon as Locke came to be "ready", the Island had no further use for Ben, since he was second choice anyway, so he has been superseded by the man who was meant to be there to begin with.
    • Ben's role is far from the end (as we see in the flash-forwards). He and Locke will share the leadership of those who want to "defend the island" (labeled "hostiles" by DHARMA).

Theory 2: The island, for some reason, needs Locke, Rose, and everyone else who has inexplicably been healed and allowed to survive until they fulfill what the island needs.

  • The island is not an all-knowing, benevolent entity, but instead is an extremely influential entity that uses that power to ensure its own needs are fulfilled. It's a manipulative parasite with whom The DHARMA Initiative believed they could reach harmony and try to control, which is why it had them killed off. Once Locke is done helping the island, his legs will start to go again or he will die. Rose, if she doesn't die during her attempt to help The Island, will get cancer again.
  • Jack was needed to ensure the sanity and health of the survivors who were not "special" - Sawyer, Boone, Shannon, Sayid, Kate, Charlie, Claire (though the [[Others ultimately may have taken care of her if allowed to).
  • The statement about the Island not being benevolent is a one worth remembering. The Island can make a crippled man walk, but it also kills (or fails to heal) pregnant women with an unknown affliction. We will see if the Island considers children a threat.

Theory 3: Locke & Ben share the features of the "special" person who is chosen to lead the island by the Others.

Evidence:

  • Locke and Ben share many characteristics: bad fathers, troubled home lives, raised without mothers, their mothers also have similar names (though clearly are not the same person), both born off island and contacted/observed as young children by Richard.
  • This may imply the (necessary?) characteristics of the leaders the Others chose to lead them, and could have implications for Walt (born off island, troubled home life, strained relationship with his father, mother died).
  • The Others only have a rough approximation and a few clues who the "special" people are, and thus rely on clues (i.e. the similarities shared by Locke and Ben, the test Alpert gives Locke as a boy) to find them.

Theory 4: The leader cannot be killed.

  • Locke becoming the leader/caretaker of the Island was foreshadowed with Eko's last words to him, "You're next." At the time this seemed to mean Locke was the next to die but obviously that's not what happened. Eko was a potential leader/caretaker but when he failed to recognize Yemi as being a conduit for Jacob ("You speak to me as if I were your brother.") then Jacob had no use for Eko and thus killed him and Locke was picked as the next one Jacob would try to contact.
  • Ben can't kill Widmore ("The Shape of Things to Come") because Widmore was once the chosen one and a chosen one becomes immune to murder, even if later unseated. Former chosen ones may age and die of natural causes. For the same reason, Ben can not kill Locke, although he once tried.
  • Ben also couldn't kill Locke, but tried, even though he knew the attempt would be futile.
  • Charles Widmore was the 'chosen one' before Ben, and The Purge either killed him (but like Locke, he didn't die, because he 'has work to do') or he was off the island at that time. Ben then took over and 'moved' the island so Widmore could not find his way back, but, as Ben stated when he visited him, he cannot be killed because he still has work to do on the island. This is why he wants to return. When Ben arrived as a child, we were never told who was the 'chosen one' so it could already have been Widmore. Alvar Hanso could have been the chosen one even before Widmore. When Widmore states that Ben 'took everything from me (Widmore)', this could mean Widmore was the one who discovered much of the islands secrets and with all the money he has, funded the DI or the harnessing of the islands magnetic properties.

Theory 5: Locke is going to save the island from an infinite time-loop as the "chosen one.".

  • The island has been through this loop before and is destroyed every time. Once it's destroyed the time loop starts over. People (Sayid/Locke/Jack et al.) are all part of the grand scheme of manipulating Locke. Alpert is a manifestation of Jacob like Matthew Abaddon. They are simply there to "guide" the players into their appropriate role. The island (Jacob) realizes the only entity that can break the loop is Locke and therefore "Save" Jacob by freeing him. Everything is being guided to bring Locke to one moment (a moment he's been to many times, but failed). The moment that the island can be saved.

Counter-evidence

    • Given Locke's death in There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3, it is suggested that Locke wasn't the key (or at least wasn't successful in freeing the island from a time loop) after all. Maybe he wasn't the chosen one after all.
    • I do find it interesting that Locke's teacher stated that he "Couldn't be a super hero".

Matthew Abaddon's allegiance

Main article: Matthew Abaddon/Theories#Current Relationship to Widmore

Matthew Abbadon will meet Locke again?

  • Matthew Abaddon will appear on the Island.
  • John Locke will journey off of the Island and meet Matthew Abbadon, again.

Aaron is "where he should be"

  • The apparition Christian in Jacob's cabin tells Locke that Aaron is exactly where he should be.
  • Claire leaving Aaron behind results in Sawyer taking him to Kate, and Kate taking him off the island.
  • Desmond's interventions (saving Charlie's life up until he flooded the Looking Glass station) were supposed to lead to Claire getting on a helicopter (presumably the one [[Frank Lapidus was flying that took the O6 off the island - per his vision of the future). Because the apparition "Christian" intervened, Aaron was rescued without her..
  • If Jacob can see the future (as the Others seem to rely on him to do), then Christian's intervention counteracted Desmond's and made sure that Aaron was taken off the island, Claire stayed, and maybe by extension that Kate would also be put in charge of Aaron for the day, and then for at least the next several years. This intervention had big consequences.
  • So far, the daddy count is -3 for Aaron: prospective father Thomas had second thoughts, Charlie became the target of a series of freakish accidents that required him to be consistently monitored/protected by Desmond (lightening, slip and fall to his doom catching birds, drowning while trying to save Claire from drowning, and eventually death by underwater grenade explosion), and Jack went from enthusiastic, bed-time story reading, prospective father/husband to Aaron/Kate to boozy, not supposed to raise him but still interested in his safety "Let's go back to the island," (i.e. where Claire is) advocate.
  • The island is certainly powerful enough to ensure that Aaron will be back when it's ready for him, but does not have the ability to make Aaron disappear from California and appear on the Island. It must use humans to perform physical tasks, otherwise it could move itself. Its powers of persuasion are strong. The project is well underway. Kate is about to be motivated to take Aaron back. Of course, that's not what Claire wants.

The Items

See Richard's objects/Theories

Hurley & Ben Discuss The Purge

Transcript: 

  Hugo: So, this is where you shot Locke and left him for dead huh?
  Ben: Yes Hugo, I was standing right where you are now when I pulled the trigger.
  Ben: Should've realized at the time that it was pointless, but...I really 
  wasn't thinking clearly.     
  Hugo: Is that why you killed all these people too? 
  Ben: I didn't kill them..
  Hugo: Well, if the Others didn't wipe them out...
  Ben: They did wipe them out Hugo, but it wasn't my decision
  Hugo: Whose was it?
  Ben: Their leader's.
  Hugo: But I thought you were their leader?
  Ben: Not always.
  • Charles Widmore was the other leader/Caretaker of The Island; but Ben somehow removed him and either promoted Richard as his secondary, or Richard was a secondary already and they plotted together to remove Widmore from the Island.
    • This decision could have been the primary reason Ben wanted to remove Charles Widmore. Not for killing his father but maybe for Annie's family, and of course you see his reaction when he sees Horace dead in episode 3x20.
      • Ben would need at least Jacob's and Richard's approval to remove Widmore. They wouldn't base their decision solely on Ben's personal grudge, a deeper motive would be required. They had to disagree with his general way of running things, punish him for some kind of fault, or they just considered that his time was "over" (just like Ben's today).
  • He was referring to Richard.
    • Richard was the leader of the Hostiles and eventually got Ben to kill all of Dharma according to earlier seasons.
  • He was referring to Locke's supplanting him as leader.
    • So far Locke was never truly their leader.
      • If it was Locke he probably would have replied something along the lines of "Not anymore".
  • He was referring to Jacob.
    • This is very likely and supports the theory of Ben initially being Jacob's messenger, but abused the position to become an actual leader and make decisions, but present them as Jacob's orders.
    • However, Ben acknowledged Jacob as his superior even during his leadership, Jacob has always been referred to as much more than a leader. This person is more likely the brilliant/magnificent man that has been referred to by Ben and Mikhail.
      • I think the "brilliant/magnificent man" was always supposed to be Jacob, though if it isn't, that's quite an interesting possibility!

Claire

Theory 1: Is dead

Evidence:

  • Claire did not look like herself at all in this episode.
  • Claire has actually been dead since her house blew up. She died from head trauma, resulting from the explosion, during the night. This is in line with her complaints about headaches during the day and 'seeing things'.
    • Do apparations have headaches?
  • Her body disappears after her death, much the same way as Christian Shephard's. It also explains why Aaron was abandoned during the night.
  • What we saw in the episode was not her, but an apparition, like the apparition of "Christian".
    • Can an apparation hold a baby? Can an apparation carry a baby off the trail?
  • Not being upset about missing her own child states this very clearly.
  • That is why she is in Jacob's cabin
  • This is why Miles was looking at her with such interest. He is a psychic ghost whisperer as seen in previous episodes.
  • In the cabin she has a head wound with a band aid over it.
    • How certain is it that a "head wound" small enough to be covered by a Bandaid could kill?
  • Claire has been told by Christian or whoever is taking the form of Christian that if she doesn't come with him, Aaron will die, but if she does she won't see him for a very long time but he will live and get off the island.

Biblical References

The scene where Locke entered the Cabin seemed to be deliberately crafted so as to be analogous to the High Priest entering the Holy of Holies in the Ancient Israelite Tabernacle or Temple. Locke only could enter, like Aaron the High Priest (unusual that it is deliberately pointed out that Aaron is missing!), who was miraculously chosen out of the twelve representatives of the sons of Israel (Jacob.) He grabbed the lantern and lit it, like the Priest taking the special Golden Censer and filling it with burning coals before entering. He went in with the intention of speaking to God (or Jacob in this case). Everyone else stood back at a distance and watched onward and awaited his return. Some people believe that the Lord did not come personally but rather sent an angel, glory, or presence (shekhinah or bath kol) of some sort to speak to Aaron from between the wings of the Cherubim upon the Ark of the Covenant, and Christian was a spokesman for Jacob in like manner. The mystery of the cabin is similar to the mystery of the Holy of Holies, but in a very dark almost creepy way. The fact that details surrounding Jacob are connected to the Bible, "God loves you as he loved Jacob." Mr. Eko's stick also comes to mind.

  • Claire being in the cabin with Christian/Jacob doesn't quite fit this scenario.
    • There was a lot of preparation before the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, not just grabbing a lantern and heading in. The Shekhinah historically is the presence of God inhabiting the space, not an angel etc. Why is it significant that Aaron is missing? The others didn't "stand at a distance" when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies, they were nowhere nearby. Why does Eko's stick come to mind? I just don't think there's an analogy here beyond a vague literary allusion.

Drawing

  • Locke has had dreams as a child about the Smoke Monster (hence the drawing that Richard sees). This is why Locke is so curious the first time he sees the Monster, and when he finally has custody of Ben in Confirmed Dead, it's the first thing he asks him: "What is the Smoke Monster??"
    • Why he painted the picture is the same reason he choose the knife. He is in a time-loop and have some semi-knowledge of previous rounds.
      • That's why Richard was disappointed when Locke choose the knife, because he wants to end the loop.
        • Being special is being able to recieve information from previous loops.
  • The drawing is of the plane crash and of Locke lying on the beach.
  • The drawing is definitely the scene where Locke is almost pulled into the Cerberus Vent. Remember he asks Jack to just "let him go, hell be alright", we know that Jack saves him though, Kate too throwing dynamite in there.
  • I'm not positive that we can ASSSUME that Locke drew the picture. While he said he did when Richard asked, it would be very LOST-like for that to be misleading... is it possible a different child in the house drew the picture? I don't think we can rule this out.


The Driver of the Car

  • Emily Locke runs out of the house for her date with the father of her child. She runs toward the street as a vehicle approaches and steps partly onto the roadway. Instead of slowing, the driver accelerates (or at least maintains speed) and hits Emily. We never see the face of the driver of the car.


Theory 1: The Driver is Anthony Cooper

  • As her old boyfriend (and perhaps unbeknownst to him) the father of her unborn child, he is jealous of the older man Emily is dating instead of him (see the Identity of Locke's father theories above).
  • We know Cooper attempts to kill his son later in life.("The Man from Tallahassee")) Cooper does not want to be encumbered by a wife and child. He leaves the scene. Nothing we've seen so far addresses any manhunt that occurred. Therefore, Cooper is the driver.

Theory 2: The Driver is Richard Alpert

  • This is how Richard killed Juliet's husband after she suggested she could work for him if her ex-husband was hit by a bus. Similarly, he is watching Emily (he comes to the hospital when the infant Locke is ready to come out of the incubator).
  • The accident is a test to see if Locke is their new "un-killable" leader, like Ben implied Widmore was, and as we have seen Locke survive a plane crash, heal from paralysis, survive an 8 story fall, the removal of a kidney, and a gunshot.
    • When questioned by Hurley, Ben describes shooting Locke, responding, "Yes, Hugo, I was standing right where you are now when I pulled the trigger. Should have realized at the time that it was pointless, but... I really wasn't thinking clearly."
  • Richard intervened to make sure things worked exactly like they should have in Locke's life.
  • Cooper was also brought to the island via car-accident, and Richard seems to be the "go to" off island guy. He recruited Juliet, followed Locke during his life, and filmed Juliet's sister to prove she was still alive in the U.S..
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