The Ageless ones
+4 6 Votes
Rate it:
By tharde5
- The Ageless ones
- Created: Nov 1, 2007
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 3.22: Through The Looking Glass
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
What if Jacob was actually just a successful test subject with unusual talents?
— tharde5
Having been told that the story employed in Lost is based loosely on the book Lost Horizons, sparked me to first read the novel by James Hilton, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LostHorizon%28novel%29 followed by some research on the life expectancy of humans.
Lost Horizon tells the tales of 4 unsuspecting individuals forcibly taken to a valley known as Shangri La. Once in the valley the aging process is slowed and life expectancy is extended. Once you leave the valley the aging process kicks back into high gear.
If we were to take this idea and loosely apply it to our Lost, some interesting parallels can be made. We know that the Dharma Init was working on their very own Life Extension program. Who’s to say that they haven’t been successful in their efforts to create an ‘environment’ that does just that. What if they’ve successfully eliminated many of the common causes know that cause human fatalities, and aging? If we are to believe that cell deterioration and disease have been eliminated or worst put at bay, then why can’t we speculate that Richard for example isn’t really 150years old? Even though we’ve seen in flashbacks his appearance off the island, possibly short periods off the island don’t impact him enough that it isn’t quite plausible. If part of the plan all along was in fact to prolong the human life, what better place than an isolated island. If this hypothesis were plausible, one would then begin to contemplate some of the unexplained instances that we have witnessed ‘on island’. The quarantine, the vaccinations, the ‘cure’ for cancer. What if Jacob didn’t really have anything to do with the curing of cancer and DI actually was the curator of the cure? And what if cell restoration and the elimination of ‘radicals’ that create the frailties of old age were solved. Wouldn’t the island be a perfect place to control and monitor these changes?
What if Jacob was actually just a successful test subject with unusual talents?
“The evolutionary theory is that organisms that are able by virtue of their defenses or lifestyle to live for long periods whilst avoiding accidents, disease, predation etc. are likely to have genes that code for slow aging- good repair.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeexpectancy#Variationsinlifeexpectancyintheworldtoday
Please learn to use the Search button. This theory has already been discussed….
Where is that button for -10 Rating?
That’s really cool Tharde. Damn I just typed a whole post about this and lost it.
Anyway I was saying that it reminded me of a Terry Pratchett character Albert (I kid you not!) who is Death’s servant. He is a magician who was taken into Death’s service near the end of his very long life. Once he became Death’s servant he was removed from the normal span of time but whenever he returned to the world his life continued as normal, though almost as if it was on a countdown.
Maybe Richard has this kind of deal with the island…
+1 brutha
mrssawyer, you are such a p*ssy, u give everyone +1 … can’t you be more critical?
Thanks Mrs. I think that the Richard character could be the character that eventually is the crux in the salvation of the island. He is most def a pivotal character. Who he really is or what his intentions are a difficult to say but he without a doubt is on the side of ‘whatever is best for the island’. Whether that ends up being on Bens side or the survivors he wants what is best for the island.
Richards motivation is seemingly a parrallel to Lockes journey as well.
Yep you’re so right. Richard just exudes benevolence. I definitely see him as a good guy. I’m not even sure myself whether its as clear cut as Losties vs. Others…
An isolated island would be an excellent choice for the experimentation described. Forgive my ignorance here, this will be sketchy , but I recall reading something once about “telomeres” that regulate cell regeneration, and once a cell has done X number of replications, it dies. Some people’s DNA has telomeres that are capable of more replications. To isolate these types of people and have them reproduce their DNA should theoretically increase lifespan overall. Of course, mother nature also course corrects. Sorry if I’m not making a lot of sense, it was something I read a long time ago and it has faded over time in my brain.
Thardie, I have seen the theories regarding Lost Horizons, however never have read any regarding the DI and the cure for cancer. I would tend to believe that “the island” is responsible for the healings which have occurred, though it leaves one mystery as to why Ben needed surgery!
Good thoughts! +1
tharde, interesting theory and comments. +1
I definitely agree with both you and Mrsmrs that Richard exudes benevolence and is on the side of the island, as is Locke.
ozzig - That s precisely what I was hinting at. The cell regeneration is slowed and the body begins to weaken. But some people live longer because of better DNA. There cells continue the process longer and the body remains healthy longer and the life is extended. So heredity can play a part in the process. So is this the reason some are called and others arent. Could this be the reason for Jacob’s List? Good genes? I wonder!
mrs I couldnt agree more. He seems kind and caring and very torthright. He seem trustworthy. He doesnt seem to have the alterior motives. He has all the qualities a true leader should possess.
hey mrssawyer i love albert he is so funny,like all disc world chars.pratchett is just hilarious[anyone who’s not read a disc world book i beg you to do so] im not sorry for my next words,throw me off the site if you so wish.negativefcf you are a rude sub human,i only ever read snide comments from you.It may be in jest i dont know.whats your problem,you can disagree with ppl without being obnoxious.I guess you were dragged up.
Does this idea of agelessness explain the x-rays Richard showed to Juliet. (I’m struggling to remember which way around they were.) I am reasonably sure it was the cervix (or something - I’m not an expert) of an old woman that Richard stated was actually belonging to a young woman.
That little mystery has always confounded me when I think about the lack of ageing, or the state of ‘permanence’ that appears to exist on the Island. If anything, it appears to be the opposite of slowing down?
If your theory is right, perhaps the x-rays show a woman that spent a lot of time on the Island only to then be taken OFF the Island (to reproduce!?) and then have a rapid ‘catch-up of ageing. . .?
Hell - I think I’ve just stumbled across some form of answer. Thanks Tharde!
+1
Interesting Tharde and AC. Time catches up when you leave the island. What about Richard though?
This is great, tharde. And i second sham’s question…..
sham & YAE: The Richard angle is quite a quandry, if in fact this theory holds water. I do mention in the theory that Richards off island exposure is minimized. In Lost Horizons the monk who lived a very long life did in fact spend ‘some’ time out of the valley (short periods) so if we parallel this idea then maybe the process has a barrier,or certain amount of exposure before the aging process really kicks in. An interesting side note to the story, the hero once he leaves is desperate to return to the valley because he realizes how perfect it was and how happy he had become while he remained there. The story leaves the reader to wonder if he ever got to return to the valley.
Angelo: I dont know if I have an answer, but I love to speculate. The female reproductive process is a process that seems to have a timeline of its own. A woman has that timeframe that conception is possible and after that time is over reproduction isnt possible. Juliet was supposed to create life where life wasnt supposed to be. So a post menapausal woman is precisely that. She isnt supposed to be able to conceive. Juliet is trying to but life where it isnt supposed to be. I just wonder how long Sabine was on the island and just how old she actually was. Could she have been the patient whos X-Ray, Richard mentions. Sabine certatinly ‘looked’ like a woman of the child bearing age, but was she actually 60?
Just to finish that thought, Could the island be a fertility clinic appealing to women post-menopause and willing to do anything to fulfill their dream of conception, even risking death?
That’s an interesting idea about post-menopausal women trying to conceive. Maybe the island doesn’t slow down the aging of all organs equally, ones affected by hormones could be immune to whatever is anti-aging. This may be a dumb idea, but maybe the human gestation period (9 months) has something to do with it. Blame this on a dream I had and not rational thought, but what if sonmething happens time-wise every 9 months. Any woman who gets pregnant off the island would not have a problem because she delivers prior to the 9 month deadline. But any woman who gets pregnant on the island can’t beat the deadline. Just a thought, well, it really was a dream actually.
oz: Well my first thought is something that the producers have mentioned in that time might not be ‘moving’ at the same as we know it. The idea that timelines are somehow different on the island seems relevant to the gestation period as we know it. It the normal term is nine months ‘in the real world’ but that timeframes is skewed somehow on the island, possibly this is the crux of the pregnancy troubles. Ozzig I must stop not because you have insipred me to write an entirely new theory. Thanks and look for a new post on this subject.
Oh, good. I’m happy to have inspired something good for once!