Jack: From Hero to Goat to Hero
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By Irocz28
- Jack: From Hero to Goat to Hero
- Created: Jun 3, 2008
- Last updated: Sep 10, 2008
- After episode: 4.13: There’s No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3
- Status: Current
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This prediction will take two years to prove true or false, but I wanted to say “you heard it here first”.
I now understand why most of you despise Jack so much. I knew Jack has been selfish lately, but only after the season finale did I realize how much of a hole he has really dug himself. And that hole, in my opinion, will ultimately become his grave.
I think Jack will die in the Lost Series Finale. I think this 180 degree turnaround from hero to goat that Jack has made was done for a reason by the writers. They are doing everything they can to make him look like the screw up, the liar, the drunk, the bad “father” (to Aaron), the bad “husband” (to Kate), the bad “friend” (to Hurley), and just the all around “Bad Guy” of the series.
Why are they doing this? I think they are doing it so he can pull the ultimate act of redemption in the series finale and remind us all of the Season 1 Jack Sheppard, when he was a leader, a life saver, and a friend. He will sacrifice his own life to make good on everything he has done wrong. It will remind us all of the “live together, die alone” Jack, as opposed to the “leave Jin behind, let Sawyer be the one to jump, leave everyone behind as long as he and Kate get off the island” Jack.
Let’s face it. The writers love once-hated characters pulling unheard of acts of redemption in their final moments of life.
Charlie: In Season One he was a drug addict. In Season Two he was a kidnapper. But, we don’t remember those “Charlies”. We remember his ultimate act of redemption in Season Three when he sacrificed himself not only for the sake of Claire and Aaron, but for everyone on the island by warning them of the true identity of the freighter folk in his final seconds.
Michael: He killed Libby and Ana Lucia. He blatantly stabbed Jack, Sawyer, Kate, and Hurley in the back for his own selfish reasons by turning them over to the Others. But, my lasting image of Michael will be him sacrificing himself and giving the chopper those ever precious few extra seconds to get away from the boat. Even Jin forgave him in the end.
Even Ben: Although he doesn’t look too bad now compared to the likes of Widmore, Keamy, and even Jack, there was a time when Ben Linus was the bad guy of all bad guys. But, you can see it in his eyes as he turned the wheel, he too was sacrificing himself. He did not WANT to do what he did. He HAD to do it. And even though he didn’t die, and even though he was saving the “island” as opposed to a person, in a way, it felt like it was just as great a sacrifice to Ben.
Right now, Jack tells Kate that he was the one who “saved her” and that Sawyer “chose to stay”. Deep down, though, he knows he should have been the one to jump. If he had jumped and stayed on the island all those “very bad things” that Jeremy Bentham had told him happened once he left would not have happened at all. In the end, however, Jack will be the reason why Kate and Sawyer end up off the island together, safely.
Right now, Sun blames Jack for Jin’s “death”. Jack is the person who had the final say so in not going back for Jin after the explosion. I believe his exact words were “It’s over. He’s gone”. Those are some of the most heartless words we have heard all series. You can’t blame Sun for what she thinks of Jack. Looking back in hindsight, the chopper just ended up crashing in the water anyway, so it wouldn’t of hurt going back to look for Jin. But, in the end, I believe Jack will be the reason Jin and Sun get off the island together, safely. Yes, I do think Jin is still alive.
Right now, Jack blames “himself” for the situation with Claire and Aaron, and his nephew being separated from his rightful mother. Remember Hurley’s question to Jack in the season finale: “Once we drop everyone off at the freighter, we will come back for Claire and everyone else, right?” And how did Jack answer that? He said “Absolutely.” That never happened. He never came back and Claire was left on the island with all those “very bad things” that happened as a result of him leaving the island. But, in the end, Jack will be the reason why Claire and Aaron leave the island together, safely. Thus, making Desmond’s prophecy of Claire and Aaron boarding a chopper true, albeit many years after his original vision. And, yes, I do think Claire is still alive.
Somebody is going to die in the series finale. That I can guarantee. And there is no better candidate than Jack. And there is no better way for him to die than to give up his own life to ensure the “happy ending” for all those whose lives he has ruined by his decisions. He “fixes things”. He is in a big mess right now, but he will “fix it”, even if it means sacrificing himself. And in the manner in which he does it in, even all you Jack-Haters might have to applaud him, even if it is for a little while.
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack | Jack Shephard | 1.1, 1.5, 2.11, 1.11, 1.16, 1.20, 3.9, 3.22, 3.1, 4.10, 4.12, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1451 |
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.13 | There’s No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3 | 5-30-2008 | Jack, John, Ben | 348 |
I for one admit that Jack “bugged” me or a couple of seasons, but I have truley come to appreciate him and “feel his pain” this season. If your theory is true I will truley be sad:( but you are right,there will be a dramatic ending and it will be sad no matter what. +1. By the way, haven’t seen you here much lately, I always like readng your theories (I’m an avid reader, not so much theory poster!!) Good to see you;)
Thanks krisann. After the site got shut down, I kind of got into some other Lost sites, but I still drop in here now and then. Thanks for the compliment.
Good stuff my friend, good stuff.
I stop over here too (visit another site which is pretty friendly) Irocz28, It’s nice to read all the different posts and try to follow other’s line of reasoning with the LOST story,
Not quite sure about Jack dying at the end of the show. He was the one they centered on at the beginning and I like happy endings! We’ll see though and like you said we can say we heard it here first. :)
CosmicJewels, I can’t see a traditional “happy ending” for Jack. I think if he saved everyone he left on the island, and made up for all the lying, he would be happy, even if it led to his death.
Remember, Jack was a split-second away from jumping off a bridge and killing himself. He is not afraid to die. What he is afraid of, however, is causing others pain because of his decisions. And if he needs to give his life for the well-being of others and clear his conscience, I truly think he would do it.
Iroc I agree but think his death will be much more profound than blowing up on a ship like jin and Michael, or even drowning like Charlie. I really think Jack will literally die at the hands of someone already on the island, or maybe next time he turns the wheel.
I think a lot more mysteries, like why moving the island is a failsafe and why all 6 plus Locke have to return have to be solved first. Really really good work
Wow. Awesome theory. I have to say that if Jack does die in the final episode I will cry….ALOT. But I can see how it would happen and seeing that he was supposed to die in the pilot, lasting until the last episode is pretty good. I would rather him be happy- on or off the island just not with Kate(I am a Juliet fan). The one thing that makes me think that he is doomed is Adam and Eve who alot of people think is Jack and Kate so that means that they would both die. +1 from me!
lockeko, thanks. Good to see you.
Shoegirl, thanks for the compliment. I too look at Jack as my favorite character and would also be sad if he did die. But, if he goes out by saving everyone as the hero we all know he could be, so be it.
Now i think it’s kind of unfair to say that anyone ever hated Charlie… I know people who completely stopped watching after he died.
SO if Jack sacrificed himself to let Kate and Sawyer live together peacefully wouldn’t that just be a bigger version of what he did to let Kate and Sawyer escape the others? I think somehow that Jack and Kate will end up being Adam and Eve, which would really throw me off because that would mean that the black and white stone held by Adam and Eve were actually the stones that were found by them on their own corpses. If that makes sense.
There is a lot of Adam and Eve talk going on here. Honestly, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. It was two skeletons in a cave.
According to Lostpedia, the skeletons are 40-50 years old. So does that mean Jack and Kate went to the island when they were like -10 years old, died on the island, and then came back????
I know time travel is a factor in Lost, but that is a big stretch. I think Adam and Eve are simply two skeletons in a cave. Nothing more. Nothing less.
That’s an interesting theory and could very well happen. And to think they were going to kill off Jack during the first season but changed their minds. But I don’t think Claire is still alive. At least not in this timeloop. Maybe Des had a vision of another event that transpired in another time loop. He had visions of Charlie dying repeatedly but each time he altered the event, the ending changed.
Good work Irocz; this is a beautiful and well thought out ending!
Just for the record, I for one love Jack’s character and do not hate him at all! Having said that, I think your “series ending” for Jack sounds very probable. I do believe you are correct, and Jack ‘s selfish moment on the helicopter when he refused to have Frank go back and look for Jin has to be corrected. Nevertheless, knowing what he knew at the time, that the chopper only had enough fuel to make it back to the island, he and Frank probably made the correct decision.
I agree, Jack will sacrifice his life for everyone on the island, including Kate and Sawyer in the end. I just hope we have a chance to witness his redemption (i.e. cleaning up his act) before the final tragedy!
Excellent Job! +1
p.s. (I think Des and Pen are Adam and Eve, not Jack and Kate.)
yes !!!!! this is awesome ..sad but it would be beautiful also and it really looks like that will happen.
I think when he wakes up the pilot its him reapeating the event and the rest of the eps are what really happened..or some other order..I think we have already seen future jack in the series many times!!! we all should know that much for sure now…tooo obvious
Jack will be the Island Chief and lead it and its people to fulfil the ultimate goal. And he won’t die.
That’s my prediction.
Even if Jack has to make a sacrifice for what ever reason, it will lead him to the top of the chain, ie Jacob status. The all seeing eye.
Ive just thought!!! Every manifestation ie Kate and the black horse, Hurley and Dave, mMchael and “Mr Friendly”, Locke and Smokey/Jacob have all made physical contact with each other, although Jack has never make contact with his (father). He got really close in “White Rabbit” but as Christian turned to look at Jack its like a force repelled Jack to the ground???? They cannot touch each other as it would be too timelines crossing “the orchid and the white rabbits anyone” big clue there in the title of the episode. Could Jack be Jacob?? Food for thought +1, great theory irocz2!!!!
Good theory… I agree with almost all of it. I think Jack will make it back to the island with Locke and the rest of the O6 and he will help them get back off the island with the people they initially left behind (I also believe Jin lives and Claire is sort of alive)… But I think Jack and Juliet will stay behind and instead of dying in some heroic action will die later in a cave.
Oh, and no matter what Jack does, I still don’t like him!
do you mind if i post a counter argument to this post? kind of a like a debate if you will? i should hope to have it up later today
Sure Chevy. I don’t mind.
i like your thoughts. I still wonder how jacob really plays into all of this. i hope jacob doesnt turn out to be jack or desmond or locke or aaron or anyone else we already know.
alright i posted it… thanks http://www.lost-theories.com/theories/2008/jun/04/jack-hero-goat-hero-and-why-i-/
I totally agree! Jack is the natural leader and his end must be memorable… And remember: He fixes things.
Iroc, sorry it took me so long to reply. Didn’t know if I should reply here, or at darkUFO, or darkBB’s site. I saw you posted this one on all of them, so I’ll have to go read those comments as well. Either way, good theory. (+1)
I think it is likely that Jack will die in the finale, but it just won’t be original. Like you pointed out, it has been done on the show many times. Charlie dying at the end of season 3 was harsh, but if it happened to Jack at the end of season 6, it would be redundant. Yet, it would make the writers consistent.
As for Adam and Eve, I remember listening to a podcast where Darlton mentioned that this was the first scene that made them think of time travel. This means that Adam and Eve have to be someone we already know. And the black and white rocks that they had, will be the one thing that tells us who Adam and Eve are when we see them. The rocks will be comparable to the cut on Ben’s arm before he traveled from the frozen polar bear wheel to Tunisia. In season 6 we will see a male and a female take their final rest in the cave with those rocks in a bag, then we will know.
Thanks Lost_Dbutz.
Interesting points about the podcast. I really have to catch up on them. I have only read a few.
And I know I posted it three times. This is the first time I have ever posted a theory on more than one site. Kind of lame on my part, but as opposed to most theories, I truly think that this has an good chance of actually happening. So I really wanted to get it out there and see what everyone thinks of it, not just the people on one isolated site.
It’s all good, I usually post my theories all over the place too. It’s interesting to see what theories get different responses from the different sites.
Nice one.
The thing with Jack is, if he dies, you can really see him dying a heroic death for the sake of others. In the finale, after getting twisted and turned by the writers, it’s very very possible that the big hero meets with death. Now, that could be Jack.
Good theory.
+1 Very nice theory. That would allow all the Sawyer lovers, Jack lovers and everybody to be happy. Jack does what he needs to do and Sawyer gets Kate. I also believe its almost a certainty that someone will bite it in the series finale. I don’t want Jack to die but that would be a great way to end the show.
This a a wicked theory, well done. I don’t know how you lot think of all of these things.
I’m not Jack’s biggest fan but it would be sad if he died because he is a good character I can appreciate why so many people really like him.
I can really see something like this happening and think it would be a really good ending to the show. Maybe Jack doesn’t have to die to save everyone maybe he just has to stay on the Island and either Kate or Juliet stays with him and then they become Adam & Eve.
Anyway well done really good theory +1 from me :)