The rise of Aaron
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By ProfOzone
- The rise of Aaron
- Created: Jun 10, 2007
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 3.22: Through The Looking Glass
- Status: Current
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This theory is based on B. F. Skinner and Carl Jung by ProfOzone. You may wish to read it before continuing.
Until some other element is introduced into the story that pertains to the distant future, I think Aaron is the best candidate for “why they’re all there”.
— ProfOzone
The work of Carl Jung seems to address much of what goes on in Lost. Of particular significance is the concept of synchronicity, or “meaningful coincidences”. With this concept is introduced the idea that events that seem unrelated on the surface are actually conspiring, in a way, to bring about some future event that the earlier events presage.
The key to understanding Lost, then, is in understanding what this future event is. Odd coincidences are responsible for bringing our crash survivors to the island… indeed, they are responsible even for allowing anyone to survive the crash. But according to synchronicity, these coincidences aren’t odd at all. They occur for a reason, such that everyone who survived the crash is to serve a very specific purpose in relation to that reason. Of course, John has made this claim since the very first season. And I think we, the viewers, are supposed to understand that he was correct on this score.
Everyone on the island is beholden to some future event that, when revealed, will make everything that has happened until that event make perfect sense.
I propose that Aaron has something to do with this event.
As far as I can recall, Aaron is the only character about which there is some prognostication relating to the distant future. Nothing else in the show thus far has made reference to the distant future or offered any prophecies of significance outside of the psychic’s predictions regarding Aaron and the absolute necessity of Claire being his caregiver. Also, only John and Aaron have been specifically mentioned in visions (to Eko and Charlie respectively) as people who need help and/or salvation. In Aaron’s case, the medium of his salvation may have been baptism. (This could suggest some kind of messianic role for Aaron or it could just mean that it was important for Claire to make some gesture that suggested dedicating Aaron to a higher principle or power.)
Until some other element is introduced into the story that pertains to the distant future, I think Aaron is the best candidate for “why they’re all there”. The fact that Aaron is a nephew to Jack’s “Moses” figure (the phrase “he walked among them but was not one of them” has been applied to Moses and Naomi referred to Jack as Moses) I think only adds credence to this idea.
I feel compelled to note here that Hurley seems to be the person to have set apocalyptic events into motion by playing “the numbers” in the lottery. (I think jazprof was the first to suggest this notion.) So Hurley’s role, then, is somewhat like a harbinger… the one who announces, paves the way, opens the door for the big event. So in that sense Hurley is responsible for all of them being there. But, in my view, even Hurley is only playing his part in Aaron’s overall drama.
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron | Aaron Littleton | 363 |
Similar theories
| Title | Author | Cmnts | Votes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron: Serpent of Evil or Serpent of Wisdom | Agent_XXX | 19 | 14 | +12 |
hmmm its a bit well…. ur reading a bit 2 much into it if u ask me but at least u thought hard about it, and knowing me itll probly turn out to be right lol
Makes complete sense to me.
Did you noticed that there are two childrens and two adults taken as messiahs, those being Lock, Eko, Walt and Aaron, half being black and the other half white.
I’m not saying that color of the skin has nothing to do with it (categorizing people by their color is really stupid) but it’s funny since Darkness versus Light has been mentioned so many times on the show and you have a group like that to divide.
I think Eko was a good person and he was trying to put Lock on the right path preventing him from being misslead by other forces, maybe that’s why he died. I still have my doubts about Walt being good. Some pretty odd things used to happen around him. The bird dieing was one that drove my attention about a possible badness in him. And if Walt has anything to do with the Cerberus “Smokey” he was the one behing Eko’s death.
Another thing that has an biblical sense is the fact the no children can be concieved and born on the island. That would prevent a natural arrival of a Messiah, but as Desmond learned “Universe has a way of course correcting it self” thus making flight 815 crashing into the island bringing both the good and bad messiahs.
I don’t know, now I’m really messed up have to think more about it. But it’s certainly a line to follow.
Congrats on the post ;)
Great post as always Prof. I was just looking at that vision of Charlie’s and thinking that Charlie plays the role of Joseph in not being the biological father but in completely accepting the father’s role. And remembe when Aaron cried at the moment Charlie died? I wonder who will take over that role now? Desmond or Hurley? If Jack is playing Moses role, I wonder where he’s supposed to be leading his people because it’s apparently not off the island.
Freakme, that’s a great point about the Dark/Light prophets and children.
Sorry Prof to tangent from Aaron a moment: if Jack is Moses, he won’t make it to the promised land because he angered God. Follow me on this…
The Book of Numbers, chapter 20, verses 7-8: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying “Take the staff and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before before their eyes to yield its water.”
I substitute the cell phone for the staff, Losties are the congregation, Aaron is Jack’s “brother”, command the rock to command the freighter to rescue the peeps. As the Biblical story goes, Moses (Jack) overstepped his role by bringing forth the miracle as if it were his (Moses’) ability, not the divine power of God. Maybe that’s why Locke said “You weren’t supposed to do that.”
Charlie’s vision has always been one of the most significant, and visually impactful, on the show. Jaz, paralleling Charlie to Joseph is rather brilliant. Charlie made the sign of the cross befor he died - don’t see how we can ignore the religious connection. Jaz, take a bow.
You too Prof! Great post. I’m inspired to find more friggin’ answers.
Fantastic comments all the way around, actually.
I love you guys.
I am a Christian and all the biblical connections in lost are awesome. I never really picked up on the moses thing with Jack. Nice observation. If this turns out to be an entire bible based program, it will be kind of weird for me, but at the same time their are a lot of arrows pointing that way. Great theory and comments everyone!
kat: Indubitably.
Stip, that’s a great point about Moses. What you describe as Moses’s mistake is the one I think the writer’s have pointed to as Jack’s main weakness all along—the way in which so much of his ego is invested in saving people.
LostinTime—I don’t think it’s going to turn out to be a bible based program as much as a Judaeo-Christian/Buddhist/Hindu/Greek Mythology/Philosophical/Quantum Physics program. (or to quote Shakespeare—“The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral; scene individable, or poem unlimited …” ) :-) I think the writers want us to see the connection in all these belief systems.
Oh, and Prof, love you too, Dude!
Heh, just had a funny afterthought about Charlie being Joseph—Charlie did sort of have a thing for the Virgin Mary.
HA! :-D
Kat: now THAT (relationship of Aaron to Jacob) is interesting!
Why do I hate to propse this? …but if Jack and Claire are brother/sister and their father is Christian Shephard and Aaron is great grandson of Jacob… could Christian Shephard be Jacob?
No, it means Jacob is Jacob Shepherd, great grandfather of Jack and the patriarch for whom Jack is named… meaning, Christian’s grandfather.
Boy, you just can’t keep those Shepherd boys down, can ya!
I know, I hate “Who is Jacob? theories too - that whole Ben/Locke/Jacob cabin scene smelled like Dorothy meets the Wizard. But Christian could be in cahoots with Ben for some yet unknown reason.
and that is why i’m glad you all are here. Because i couldn’t think of all these possible outcomes even if my life depended on it.
Kat and Prof…. i don’t know what the hell you two are eating but i want some. :-)
well, I couldn’r resist. I looked up Charlie’s middle name: Heironymus. There was a famous German composer by that name during the Renaissance. Guess what his father’s name was? Jacob
okay, I found another, maybe related, coincidence to the significane of ProfO’s prediction about Aaron. If you look at the “system failure” printout Desmond reads http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Image:SystemFailurePrintOut.jpg that apparently brings flight 815 down “from above” the system failure occurred at 4:16 which if you look up in the Bible Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 16 relates the coming of the Lord: ” For the Lord himself with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.”
Whoa
Prof: Sooooooooo well stated!
I have always thought that “Lost” centres around Aaron somehow and it jumped out at me from the beginning of the show. He is either the saviour or the messiah, and is destined for greatness. Regardless of the endless theories surrounding time travel and wormholes, etc., one cannot deny that our lovable characters, whether by fate, coincidence or choice play a role in future events which have yet to unfold. Thanks for bringing back “the synchronicity” to the website!
well than this peson who posted this is definatly smart i had to use the dictionary a couple times to even understand it … which i still do not …. and i am called the human dictionary at my school so i should have understood this … but somtimes you gotta listen to te prof and his big words and trust that he/she is right . alll of the sudden this post has made me really think about aaron considering b4 this post i didnt remember his name .. and the light side dark side definatly makes sense. has anyone thought about the monsters. . how the polarbear is white and the black fog (jim) is well… black …thus being light side , dark side
Perhaps with the questions surrounding the aging process on and off the island Aaron can turn into a more important character then any of us realize at this point. Desmond had a vision of Claire and Aaron leaving the island, and after Walt & Michael left the island, Walt returned and was a couple years older. Maybe we will get to meet an older Aaron, when he ‘returns’ to the island and makes the ultimate sacrifice, unless of course Desmond’s vision was of the final rescue and Aaron isn’t leaving any time soon. Thank god we only have to wait 3 years to find out!
The New Testament Revelation To John and the opening of the Seven Seals
risebysin: Desmond might not have been telling the truth about “seeing” Claire and Aaron rescued. Please see my “Desmond killed Charlie” post.
Prof and Clan, Fantastic post and comments made great reading. Prof we should really ask Fred what happened here to get some ‘on the island perspective’.
Stip great point although Arron being almost the return of Christ has to be considered the ultimate blaspheme would the producers really go down that road.
The holy stickman - What you must be kidding me, Idjet
sleepz: I know, I hated to pose the thought, but it just fit so well with ProfO’s theory of the importance of Aaron and how the writers like to weave religious themes into the show.
Has anyone wondered if Christian Shephard might be the father to other people connected to the show? If true, it paints him as more of a Zeus type character…
Sounds like an inside joke, but if you can share, who is Fred?
Kat: thanks for the link!
A note about visions:
The first scene in Claire’s first episode (“Raised By Another”) is a vision/dream that Claire has. In this vision, Locke (with one eye black and the other white) tells Claire, “You know what’s happening. He was your responsibility, but you gave him away Claire. Everyone pays the price now.” Claire then stumbles through the jungle until she finds a crib (maybe the one from the medical station) with a mobile above it with 4 Oceanic planes. She searches through the blankets in the crib and finds only blood.
I’m guessing that this is some combination of Claire and Locke in the role of “prophet” or “seer” (thanks Kat!), alluding to the eventual loss of Aaron as a major (and potentially apocalyptic) catastrophe.
Agreed, LC. And notice that John is drawing cards Tarot-style (they make the sound of a knife being unsheathed when he draws them). This indicates to me that John is “in tune” with the synchronistic flow of events, but he can interpret those events in a “sharp” even “cutting” way.
And John has one dark eye and one light eye, of course.
All of this will be important in relation to Claire later, I imagine.
do you have a life at all prof?,,, lol, go socialize
andrew, I guess its nice of you to worry about Prof’s social well-being, but what evidence do you have that his social life is cause for anxiety? Because he has great communication skills evidenced here on the board? Because many people look forward to hearing what he has to say? I would bet those same skills serve him as well in other areas of his life as they do here.
andrew: I rather thought I was socializing with you! Doesn’t this count?
OH MY GOD!!! PLEASE TELL ME THIS COUNTS!!!
;-P
(And thanks, jaz… ;-)
I started reading these theories over the weekend, after I had finally caught up with Lost, and although there is a mixture of what is believable or not, this one has really caught my eye.
An excellent post, and totally believable. I was previously thinking of watching every episode again, to see if I could pick up on anything else. And after reading this, and a few other of Prof’s theories, I defintely will.
Quite interested to find out if Christian Shepherd has more involvement than it currently appears.
Hey, this post was totally refreshing and a more logical reason everyone is on the island than this whole time travel business (that of which happens I will most likely stop watching the show like I stopped watching Alias when it got crazy). I like this theory and I hope that you are right. It is very wholesome. And I think the post by Katrina regarding the stars goes hand in hand. Also, I noticed that the island is most likely located in the Northern Hemisphere due to Karl and Alex watching Ursa Major in his backyard. That is only seen in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the only origional fact or point that noone else seems to have picked up on, so I had to throw this in there.
JW: Thanks for the kind words… I think your observation has merit.
kat: Oh yeah, I’d forgotten about those two instances… interesting…
Prof,
Great theory. Following this train of thought (including Jack as Moses):
In the Bible (Book of numbers), Moses arrives at a place named Meribah. It is here that Moses draws water from a rock to satisfy the Israelites. However, in doing so, he draws God’s disfavor for his failure to sufficiently trust the Lord (i.e. he taps the rock twice rather than once — does he not trust the Lord will deliver as promised). As such, God tells him that he will never enter the promised land.
compare TO LOST: If we believe Jack’s latest flash (assuming it was Jack’s) was a flashforward, then we can see another parallel between Jack and Moses. By making his choice to contact the ship, Jack broke faith with the island much like Moses broke faith with God at Meribah
WHAT THIS COULD HOLD FOR THE FUTURE:
As the modern day Moses, Jack must now atone (return to the Island) and lead the people upon the proper path in order to deliver them (to whatever end we are working towards).
Moses never entered the promised land b/c of the events at Meribah. In Lost, perhaps, the promised land is leaving the island only upon completing/finishing/stopping whatever has been started by Dharma, the Others and/or Hanso Foundation.
If we believe somehow Adam and Eve are Jack and Kate, either literally or figuratively (a foreshadowing), this makes perfect sense as well. Jack and Kate (by her own decision) never leave the island (again?).
This ending correlates with the black and white stones very well — esp. as per Jack and Kate.
(1) Jack is stuck on the island at once b/c he is good (ultimately gave himself up to follow the chosen path) and because he was bad (he doubted the island and therefore cannot leave)
(2) Jack has become both a man of science and a man of faith (i.e. if we see his sacrifice — I guess a return to the island to do the right thing — as an acceptance of faith and his “calling”).
(3) Jack and Kate. The ultimate black and white. Jack is a man who does good almost always — obsessively. Kate is the opposite. Kate has killed in pure vengeance for her mother. Yet, as we learn about them as people, we find that Kate killed someone for her mother’s sake, and has gone out of her way to assist people even when she is escaping the law (i.e. dragging farmer from truck) while Jack basically has some compulsion to the good, which is unhealthy and perhaps makes his actions — though good — somewhat dubious b/c of his motivation (i.e. hate of his father?).
In a way, Jack and Kate are both exemplified by the stones, individually. And also at the same time, they themselves are opposite or black and white.
Anyway, I am rambling. Just thought this was interesting way to play out this Moses idea.
Great thoughts as always, Igs.
So… when are you going to post your own theory? I, for one, very much look forward to hearing your thoughts.
my hat is off for this theory, and most of the comments. Great reading. Just loving it. you guys are pro´s.
The psychic was found out to be a fraud - he said it himself in season 2 no?
Pixel… the psychic claimed he was a fraud to Eko, but in the same episode it was suggested that his daughter did actually die for a time and was “brought back” and that her experience resulted in her having some kind of psychic knowledge regarding Eko. This suggests to some (including me) that the psychic was lying to Eko about his abilities in order to prevent Eko from investigating his daughter’s situation. (Which worked, by the way.) Of course, besides all of this, I think we are supposed to believe that the psychic knew the plane was going to crash and that Claire and Aaron would survive. Some think that he didn’t know this on the basis of his own “power”, but that isn’t really relevant to this theory. Regardless of how he knew these things, it all suggests that Aaron is every bit as significant as the psychic believed (or was led to believe).
It’s really cool to come back and read this stuff after following other discussions. This is a great post…. great comments…
Thanks ye much, Agent!
Has anybody seen this? Found it in the garbage bin:
http://lost-theories.com/theories/2007/nov/11/john-and-aaron/
BTW, somebody mentioned Adam and Eve. I just read in the latest theories that somebody found the anagram in some episode, which, when decoded, spelled Earhart. As in Amelia. As in disappeared in the Pacific in 1937. She had a co-pilot named Fred.
As for white and black stones, I have no idea.