Can Richard Alpert Talk to Jacob?



We've been told that Richard is not the Island leader, he's the Island's No. 2



but how does he know that he's supposed to be looking for a new Number 1? Who sends Alpert after the baby Locke and the young Locke? Who tells him to co-opt Ben?  And to get rid of Ben?

How Is Jacob Magnificent?















In Par Avion Mikhail tries to explain to Kate, Sayid, Locke and Rousseau why he would not want to leave the Island and/or why he would want to return to the Island. He starts out:

The man who brought me here...who brought all of my people here... he's a magnificent man.

I assume he's talking about Jacob because he tells Kate she is not on the list right before he starts talking about this man. Of course, this being LOST, Kate then cuts him off, but not before Mikhail makes it clear that this magnificent man is NOT Ben. So what has Jacob done to earn this reverence? Juliet seems in awe of him as well in One of Them. This is a question I hope we learn more about sooner rather than later. I think it could clear up a lot of questions I have about the Others.

Is It Better To Be A Great Man or a Good One?













This question should resonate for a lot of our LOSTies. Answering it is what has kept Desmond from Penny. When he goes to see her dad Mr. Widmore talks about the great man Admiral MacCutcheon and how Desmond will never be one. But Penny tells Desmond the reason she loves him is he is a good man. Why, oh why can we not be satisfied with being merely good? Instead Desmond chooses to do the only great thing he will ever do according to Mrs. Hawking and leaves Penny to push the button.

Is this in fact what Jacob is looking for? People who can settle for merely being good not great? Is this why Jack isn't on his list because Jack wants to be a great man as he's been marked by Achara? Penny seems to correctly assess in her father that greatness precludes goodness. Is this true for the rest of them as well?

Or is it the case that the Island isn't big enough for more than one great man? Maybe that's why you have to be "good" to be on Jacob (or is it really Ben's?) list.

Is Vincent Smokey or Does Jacob
Just Use Vincent Because He's A
Dog Person?

In Man of Science, Man of Faith Vincent goes missing
which leads to Shannon and Sayid chasing him into the
jungle which leads to our first Season 2 encounter with
the whispers and a wet Walt saying Don't push the button;
the button is bad backwards. There have been several
instances when Vincent has led the 815 survivors to
places or encounters on the Island. Just a dog running
away or is Jacob using him? And just for the record, a
guy with a painting of a dog in his house, can't be all bad.