Kate and James warned me that people would want to know where they all were now. I can't tell you that, but I can say a few things.
Frank flew the plane out with Claire, Kate, James, Miles and me on board. We have all managed to blend in and stay under the radar, with a bit of help from my Mittelos contacts. Kate helped Claire re-unite with Aaron, to be his real mom, but then we had to hide Kate, as she still was wanted by the authorities [We have since been able to mitigate this problem]. I have been contacted a few times from the Island via Ben, mostly as phone calls, though that is a topic for another time.
I know Desmond survived. He was returned to Penny, and she now runs the Widmore Group. That means Charles must have died in the cabin. As far as I know, none of Charles' team have survived.
Miles is now a writer, though you wouldn't guess his pseudonym. James, it seems, is not the type for a quiet life, and is between adventures in Africa somewhere. And as he said in our last phone conversation, "Africa's a big place, Ricky boy."
Monday, May 30, 2011
Languages
I was asked how it was that I knew Latin, which I think refers to my discussion with Ilana at the Statue. You'd be surprised what you can learn when you live over a hundred years. We had very few resources, but there were teachers among us, and Jacob encouraged the knowledge of Latin for the more "formal" activities.
Spanish is my native tongue, but I use it only a little. So I have English, French, Russian, some Moroccan Arabic, Cantonese, Japanese, and a few others. To be frank, I think Finnish was the hardest to learn. We use English on the Island, but that is mainly since it was found by accident by the US Military in the early 1950's. Prior to that, we had used French and Portuguese. But really, we used what best suited the situation.
Spanish is my native tongue, but I use it only a little. So I have English, French, Russian, some Moroccan Arabic, Cantonese, Japanese, and a few others. To be frank, I think Finnish was the hardest to learn. We use English on the Island, but that is mainly since it was found by accident by the US Military in the early 1950's. Prior to that, we had used French and Portuguese. But really, we used what best suited the situation.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The Smoke Monster - what did I know?
Many people think that I knew all about the Smoke Monster, but that was far from the truth. I knew that the Dark Man was also the Smoke Monster - he admitted that to me when I was still shackled on the Black Rock. He tried on several occasions to tempt me, to bring me around to his side, but I regarded him as an evil spirit, a nightmare made real.
I really didn't know much else during my time. We could limit it with ash circles, and Dharma found was of using technology to create a sonar fence. It could be called at times, to fight aggressors, but I don't know why it would attack the attackers, something to do with anger, passion, destruction. It would rip and crush, but did not eat at all. It could not pass through solid objects, nor over large bodies of water. As smoke, it could move over the ground, but never entirely lose touch with it. The Egyptians apparently saw it as an underworld god, and built a temple to it, where it lived at some times. It could read people's memories and knowledge, learning of new ways. Ben thought he could control it, but like me and others, it was the one who was manipulating us.
It was not until we few managed to fly off the Island, that Clare and the other of Jacob's candidates told me that it was Jacob who had made that thing by some accident, and this is what underlined our struggle for so long. The Monster had been a man at sometime in the past, and was killed when the Island's power was turned off by Desmond at the Heart, and he became a man again, in the image of John Locke.
I really didn't know much else during my time. We could limit it with ash circles, and Dharma found was of using technology to create a sonar fence. It could be called at times, to fight aggressors, but I don't know why it would attack the attackers, something to do with anger, passion, destruction. It would rip and crush, but did not eat at all. It could not pass through solid objects, nor over large bodies of water. As smoke, it could move over the ground, but never entirely lose touch with it. The Egyptians apparently saw it as an underworld god, and built a temple to it, where it lived at some times. It could read people's memories and knowledge, learning of new ways. Ben thought he could control it, but like me and others, it was the one who was manipulating us.
It was not until we few managed to fly off the Island, that Clare and the other of Jacob's candidates told me that it was Jacob who had made that thing by some accident, and this is what underlined our struggle for so long. The Monster had been a man at sometime in the past, and was killed when the Island's power was turned off by Desmond at the Heart, and he became a man again, in the image of John Locke.
Were their Egyptians on the Island?
Had a few questions about Egyptians being on the Island, seeing as their are Egyptian hieroglyphics and the fallen statue of Taweret. It is a mystery to me somewhat, as Jacob was never too clear about earlier times. I did ask him about the hieroglyphics, asking if they were Egyptian, but he just answered, "Don't they look Egyptian to you? Why would they be anything else?"
Of course I never saw them - they were on the Island a long time ago. Though even that is hard to pin down, as the Island has moved in time on more than one occasion. But even so, these artifacts and structures were ancient even before my arrival.
So, I guess the answer is Yes, there were Egyptians, and they did create some of the structures on the Island. But from what I could work out, Jacob brought many groups from different cultures there as different times. He always appeared sad when recalling those times, and did tell me he regarded those all as failures on his behalf.
Of course I never saw them - they were on the Island a long time ago. Though even that is hard to pin down, as the Island has moved in time on more than one occasion. But even so, these artifacts and structures were ancient even before my arrival.
So, I guess the answer is Yes, there were Egyptians, and they did create some of the structures on the Island. But from what I could work out, Jacob brought many groups from different cultures there as different times. He always appeared sad when recalling those times, and did tell me he regarded those all as failures on his behalf.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Leader
People ask if I was in charge. After that first meeting with Jacob, it was a long time before more people came (or were brought) to the Island, perhaps 7 years or more. I had made my own camp, but still spent time walking and talking with Jacob at the beach. It was lonely, but after a while you can learn not to feel alone.
When the next group of people came, and some chose to help, I was their Leader. I stayed as Leader for a long time. However, Jacob became concerned that our people were being too influenced by me, a man who did not age, who knew all the Island, who spoke of mystical things. We talked about this, and that he felt the people might start to worship me! Not that Jacob was worried for his own vanity. Jacob was worried that my Leadership may be influencing the natural outcome too much. He did not want a "false-positive" - he needed a true outcome. So we agreed to a selection of Leader amongst the people.
There were still times when I had to take over. In the 1930's, our group declined to a small number, where none could be Leader. But we had relative peace, so it became me again. But things began to heat up years later as the US Army found the Island by chance, and looked to conduct atom bomb testing. We had an influx of some young blood from British hospital ship a few years before, but none were mature enough yet. Young Charles Widmore was in that group, and we would bump heads quite often on our operations. I tried to resolve the issue with the Army peacefully, but when they wouldn't leave, it was Widmore's aggression that led the option to kill them all. He was also behind the move to appropriate all the Army's equipment and clothes. He was very angry when Locke walked into our camp, but I had to shut him down. I was still Leader and he had to respect that.
Later, as our group grew and matured, I knew of the relationship between Eloise and Charles. He was very put out when Eloise was chosen as Leader. As events would prove, she was more hard-nosed than he ever was.
When she left to have her baby, Charles took her place. Then there was Ben and of course, John Locke. And there were Leaders before them; Pietro, Simon and Elijah. Each Leader would impact the direction of the group's activities, and I had to be as a guide and liaison to Jacob, but to let them run things their own way. Eloise was considered and business-like, Charles was emotional and reactive, Ben was cunning and determined, and John, well I feel he would have brought some balance back, but strange events brought his time to a quick end, as I suppose they were always meant to.
When the next group of people came, and some chose to help, I was their Leader. I stayed as Leader for a long time. However, Jacob became concerned that our people were being too influenced by me, a man who did not age, who knew all the Island, who spoke of mystical things. We talked about this, and that he felt the people might start to worship me! Not that Jacob was worried for his own vanity. Jacob was worried that my Leadership may be influencing the natural outcome too much. He did not want a "false-positive" - he needed a true outcome. So we agreed to a selection of Leader amongst the people.
There were still times when I had to take over. In the 1930's, our group declined to a small number, where none could be Leader. But we had relative peace, so it became me again. But things began to heat up years later as the US Army found the Island by chance, and looked to conduct atom bomb testing. We had an influx of some young blood from British hospital ship a few years before, but none were mature enough yet. Young Charles Widmore was in that group, and we would bump heads quite often on our operations. I tried to resolve the issue with the Army peacefully, but when they wouldn't leave, it was Widmore's aggression that led the option to kill them all. He was also behind the move to appropriate all the Army's equipment and clothes. He was very angry when Locke walked into our camp, but I had to shut him down. I was still Leader and he had to respect that.
Later, as our group grew and matured, I knew of the relationship between Eloise and Charles. He was very put out when Eloise was chosen as Leader. As events would prove, she was more hard-nosed than he ever was.
When she left to have her baby, Charles took her place. Then there was Ben and of course, John Locke. And there were Leaders before them; Pietro, Simon and Elijah. Each Leader would impact the direction of the group's activities, and I had to be as a guide and liaison to Jacob, but to let them run things their own way. Eloise was considered and business-like, Charles was emotional and reactive, Ben was cunning and determined, and John, well I feel he would have brought some balance back, but strange events brought his time to a quick end, as I suppose they were always meant to.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
What was your relationship like with Jacob?
I met Jacob and the dark man shortly after I was shipwrecked. I was tricked into trying to kill Jacob, but he stopped me and asked me to help him. He never tried to trick me. He showed me compassion and asked me to choose freely. This is all he has ever done.
I only ever met Jacob at the fallen statue, where he had a home inside the stone base. Sometimes I could see signs he had been elsewhere on the Island, but that is the only place we ever met. He asked that I camp some distance away from him, and pointed me to areas where previous visitors had settled, so I was able to gather together some shelter, pots, knives and other hunting items. Through each group of new visitors, my group would keep and use whatever was left. I never returned to the Black Rock, mostly because I didn't want to see the dark man again, but also I was afraid for myself and my soul should I see Isabella again.
Jack and Kate, Ben, all them always thought that I knew what Jacob was planning, that I knew his reasons. But that was never true. I was given some orders and lists of names, but when I asked why, he would always say it was to protect the Island. From what, he would not say, but I could see the greed and agression and destructiveness in the groups of people he variously would bring to the Island. Things seems to get progressively worse, with the Army and then the Dharma Initiative arriving. It seemed that Jacob was saying these people were why we needed to protect the Island. But I did not learn until the end that it was all done, entirely done, to protect against and destroy the dark man, the Smoke Monster.
Jacob needed to find people that had a strong streak of good in them. The Island was a place that put that to the test, and it was easy for those who were morally weak to do bad things. Even without the help of the dark man. But Jacob could not interfere. And now I see why he could not tell even me - he could not risk his search resulting in someone not worthy. So he could not influence one way or the other. Imagine, letting the things you love destroy each other. This is the sadness and compassion I saw, and why I stayed helping him.
I only ever met Jacob at the fallen statue, where he had a home inside the stone base. Sometimes I could see signs he had been elsewhere on the Island, but that is the only place we ever met. He asked that I camp some distance away from him, and pointed me to areas where previous visitors had settled, so I was able to gather together some shelter, pots, knives and other hunting items. Through each group of new visitors, my group would keep and use whatever was left. I never returned to the Black Rock, mostly because I didn't want to see the dark man again, but also I was afraid for myself and my soul should I see Isabella again.
Jack and Kate, Ben, all them always thought that I knew what Jacob was planning, that I knew his reasons. But that was never true. I was given some orders and lists of names, but when I asked why, he would always say it was to protect the Island. From what, he would not say, but I could see the greed and agression and destructiveness in the groups of people he variously would bring to the Island. Things seems to get progressively worse, with the Army and then the Dharma Initiative arriving. It seemed that Jacob was saying these people were why we needed to protect the Island. But I did not learn until the end that it was all done, entirely done, to protect against and destroy the dark man, the Smoke Monster.
Jacob needed to find people that had a strong streak of good in them. The Island was a place that put that to the test, and it was easy for those who were morally weak to do bad things. Even without the help of the dark man. But Jacob could not interfere. And now I see why he could not tell even me - he could not risk his search resulting in someone not worthy. So he could not influence one way or the other. Imagine, letting the things you love destroy each other. This is the sadness and compassion I saw, and why I stayed helping him.
Do I still have Isabella's Cross?
I carry Isabella's cross with me always. It is what kept me from giving up, and it is what keeps me going even now.
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Tuesday, May 17, 2011
What happened to you? Are you normal now?
Many people want to know about my age and am I "immortal". I was born around 1829, which makes me 182, though I don't look much older than my early forties. Since Jacob died, I seem to be ageing normally - no wrinkles or crumbling to dust!
I'm not sure if I was ever completely immortal. Jacob certainly made me so that I didn't age, but I managed to avoid geting seriously stabbed or shot all that time, so it is hard to say. Normal wounds healed up normally. Bones broke and healed up. I felt pain, tiredness, all the normal things. I just didn't seem to age or get infections or diseases. Now I need to watch out for that. But overall I am in good health.
I'm not sure if I was ever completely immortal. Jacob certainly made me so that I didn't age, but I managed to avoid geting seriously stabbed or shot all that time, so it is hard to say. Normal wounds healed up normally. Bones broke and healed up. I felt pain, tiredness, all the normal things. I just didn't seem to age or get infections or diseases. Now I need to watch out for that. But overall I am in good health.
What happened with the flight, where did you land?
It was a relief when we got into the air, but it took Frank a while to get our location as most of the navigation systems weren't working. I can't tell you the exact name of where we first landed, other than in it was in the Pacific, and that the French can be very understanding. Our story of engine trouble and repairing the problem on a deserted island military airfield was passable - the flight had only been missing for 14 days. Frank stayed with the plane to deal with the authorities, and the rest of us moved on quickly. We got to a nearby private airfield and jumped a smaller commuter plane. We made it to Fiji, where the group laid low for a while. I reached out to a few contacts, arranged some ID's and we boarded a cargo ship to the Philippines. Then a short flight to Hong Kong. We split up from there.
Where have I been?
For the past few years, I've been keeping a quiet life. Trying to find my place in this modern world, but not attract attention. Fortunately it was easy to slip back into Mittelos and use that to sort a few things out for Claire and the others. As for where I am am right now, well...let me just say, it's not Portland.
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