My question to the crowd is about Jacob. Now that we can see the whole Story what do you think about him?
1) Clueless 2) Crazy 3) Gifted with Knowledge 4) Blessed with Power 5) None of the above.
Clueless
Jacob said he did not know how to kill MIB. After 2,000 years his whole plan was what exactly? It seemed it was 'let MIB do what he wants because he will somehow fail'. It worked of course but try passing that off as a plan in any other situation and see what it gets you.
Smokey did not seem to know he was going to become mortal as a result of the cork being pulled. He believed it would sink the Island and leave the World intact. My guess is that he was right about that.
Crazy
2,000 years is a long, long, long time to play cat and mouse with a killer cloud of smoke. Maybe Jacob built the Temple, Lighthouse, Wall, and all the other things on the Island. But somehow he struck me as someone who lived a very simple life and who watched others most of the time. I don't mean crazy as in bug eyes and screaming but more a point of view so far from our own that only crazy will do as an explanation.
Gifted
Via the Lighthouse and perhaps some of the DI Stations Jacob could have learned quite a bit. When the Lighthouse was dialed to Jack's number it was not pointing to him at that moment. It almost seemed to be looking back in time at some sort of default start point. It could be the house Jack grew up in today but my impression was that it was the past. Jacob would not need supernatural powers to manipulate people's Destiny if he had the power to see their lives in total.
Information gained in this way is never perfect though which is what separates it from the next choice. I tend to assume that Jacob finally learned how to learn from those who end up on the Island. Somehow he was able to travel to and from the Island at will.
Blessed
Jacob demonstrated some abilities that are on the checklist for Diety. He could bestow Immortality for starters but there is more. If everything said on the show and some of what the Producers said is assumed to be true then Jacob is right up there with the Deities of Mythology. That sort of knowledge goes beyond mortal and beyond mistakes. When Jacob allowed himself to be killed he knew he could complete his work as a Spirit. Jacob always seemed a touch arrogant in all his actions. If you know the outcome it is hard not to come off like that.
I realize there is some overlap here but I tried to draw clear differences. Jacob had some supernatural powers that is as solid a fact as you can get with Lost. He was trying to protect the Source which he believed to be of importance and to keep Smokey from getting off the Island. He obviously believes heavily in 'the ends justify the means' which is understandable considering his circumstances.