Please note that the article below reveals essential plot elements of “Lost”. If you do not want to know its contents, please do not read the following…
From the first episode of Lost, we hear that the black smoke is one of the biggest “Lost” mysteries. His first appearance wakes the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 in the middle of the night. We see trees move and hear strange noises (captured by a camera crew using the sounds of New York taxi receipt printers).
The power of black smoke
There is no doubt that the black smoke can capture the bodies of people who died on the island, and maybe even animals (Vincent the Labrador? Polar Bear?). We also learn in Season 5, and specifically in Season 5 Episode 12, that John Locke is possessed by black smoke and that this mysterious creature can shift from one form to another quite quickly.
This especially explains the surprising appearance of officially dead characters scattered throughout the series that we see again and who seem very much alive, most notably Christian Shephard, Jack’s father.
The smoke is also very powerful, immortal and can destroy a village and its inhabitants in no time. Only a sonic barrier can prevent it from passing (S03E15).
Where is this black smoke coming from?
His secrets are revealed very late in the series. We find out what this strange phenomenon is in Season 6, Episode 15, the show’s finale. Titled Across The Sea (originally in French), this episode follows the origins of Jacob and his brother. They were born to a mother who was killed at birth, and then raised by a mysterious young woman with the idea that she is their biological mother.
Growing up, and for 30 years, Jacob’s brother is looking to find the source of light that occupies the heart of the island: an electromagnetic force and a power that can, according to his “mother”, perform all miracles. He is convinced that he can harness this light and use it to leave the island.
When he is about to achieve this, his mother violently beats him and kills the people with whom he would finally be able to leave the island. She fills the hole he dug and leaves him to wake up alone in front of his shattered dream. Enraged, the “Man in Black,” as fans have nicknamed him because his name is never spoken, kills his mother, and as punishment, his brother Jacob throws him into the island’s light source.
Black smoke with lightning streaks then emerges from the light: the black smoke familiar to fans of the series, who then realize that it was/was accidentally released by Jacob.
Is he really the man in black?
Since then, the question remains unanswered: Did the smoke coming out of Jacob’s brother turn into smoke or did the sending of his brother into the light allow the release of the black smoke that had previously existed with the man in black imprisoned in the light? This mystery remains unsolved.
In the series finale, Black Smoke, who seemed immortal, was killed by Jack. Is there any doubt that the “candidate” to replace Jacob, who briefly became the protector of the island, could finally harm this dangerous monster, which nothing seems to have been able to stop?
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
