Jack’s moment of change
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By Jukin
- Jack’s moment of change
- Created: Apr 17, 2008
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 3.2: The Glass Ballerina
- Status: Current
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This idea came from helenoftroyagain’s theory about Sarah being a larger part of getting Jack to the island. I don’t think Sarah is part of Dharma or Widmore or any of the various factions we’ve met, but she has been a big part of the “cause and effect” that brought many of the survivors to the island. I’m really struck by helenoftroyagain’s point about Jack changing when he promised to fix her. This is something I hadn’t considered before and I think that promise had a much larger impact on him than we realized before. Prior to that moment Jack was firmly entrenched in the “man of science” camp. But by promising to “fix her” when the medical facts indicated that was a very unlikely outcome, he actually made a leap of faith - possibly for the first time in his life. Sarah was the catalyst for this and this same event served to alter the courses of Shannon, Boone and Christian.
We saw in the last episode that the island’s effects are far reaching and that the island is a sentient being. I wonder if the island has the ability to alter events and manipulate sycronicity? For example, the accident between Shannon’s Father and Sarah was a random event. Jack meets Sarah and is moved enough by her to begin to open up to the idea of faith in his life. The island takes that opportunity and heals Sarah to reinforce the idea of faith in Jack. Syncronicity continues with the change in Jack altering his relationship with his Father (who on the surface at least is a strict man of science). Jack seemed to have missed the significance of the the “miracle” and ended up being “luke warm” i.e. not fully committed to either science or faith. Now being on this path his need for his Father’s approval was replaced with a false belief that his skill was the cause of the miracle and misses the significance of the role faith played in his life. Since he could no longer perform ‘miracles’ his frustration and ego (bring presented as the need to “fix things”) destroyed his relationship with Sarah and the events continue to unfold as we’ve seen leading to his arrival on the island. I think Jack became resentful of Sarah (whether consciously or not) because she represented what he was capable of doing and making each continued failure that much more difficult to accept.
So if he had never made the promise to Sarah, would she have remained paralyzed and Jack simply continued on his path to replace his Father as the Chief of Surgery - and never getting to the island? Did the island intervene to set them all on this course? And what would have happened if Jack did recognize that faith was the primary reason that Sarah was healed? Would he have become someone who saw Sarah as a reminder of what faith can do instead of as a reminder of his current failures?
I like your theory and i am going to add few things if you don’t mind. I think Jack’s desire to fix things is coming from being in his father shadow his all life.Constant need to prooof that he can do better and better but not proof to himself but his father. Him getting married to Sarah was not enough commitment to overcome this constant strugle in Jack to proove his father wrong. And Sarah not being able to understand Jack needs for this made them fall apart. I am still on my thory that she worked for someone or was a someone marrionette in altering Jack’s fate. Jack need’s to fix things but actually he needs someone to take care of him someone whos love will be enough so he would not have need to fix everything…like Kate ,which he knows but not before they get of the island … Jack always makes a bit of bad decisions if you ask me.He does need to get back to fix things for the last time…
So if he had never made the promise to Sarah, would she have remained paralyzed and Jack simply continued on his path to replace his Father as the Chief of Surgery -
Did the island intervene to set them all on this course?
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And what would have happened if Jack did recognize that faith was the primary reason that Sarah was healed?
Jack can not see before the island anything beyond faith.
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Would he have become someone who saw Sarah as a reminder of what faith can do instead of as a reminder of his current failures?
Stitch
Jukin Nice post, and collaboration with helenoftroyagain’s thoughts ! I think that at some point (I hope anyway) that it will get back to Jack and Sarah.
It seems to me that there are a lot of loose ends to their story. One of the things that has puzzled me is…. When Sarah came to the hospital( looking very pregnant in TTLG) ; when Jack asked her if she could give him a ride home. Her facial reaction ,and and what she said ! ” I don’t think that would be appropriate”. Why not??? She did come to the hospital, when called, and she was married to him!! I dunno, I may be reading too much into that statement !! +1
What if by the series finale jack becomes man of faith and loche somehow looses his faith to a new TRUTH. Making him a man of science??
Cool thoughts all!
Katesawjack i have to agree with you but from the other point why would be appropriate.They were married before and she did cheet on Jack with man she is pregnant with,so why would not be? But from her point of view she is pregnant with this man ,posibble married ,happy with,finially in commited relationship,maybe she does not wanna hurt his feelings by giving ride to Jack. she only came couse she was still listed as his emergency contact and when she was leaving she said “goodbye Jack”.so she is definitely done with our doctor.
stitch a couple of points. First I do think the island has been presented as some sort of God like entity. I made the following comment in a thread a few weeks ago.
The island is now being presented as a God like entity in it’s own right. It decides who lives and dies. It’s powers reach out anywhere in the world. It controls (or at least can manipulate) time and space. It sends messengers to speak with it’s chosen ones.(i.e. Libby, Walt, Yemmi etc.) If the island isn’t a sentient being, but rather an object or machine that can be controlled, then controlling these powers certainly begins to explain why Hanso, Widmore etc. continue to pursue their desire to find the island.
And I completely disagree with you about Sarah being in the “science” camp. In “Man of Science, Man of Faith” (the episode where he meets Sarah) Jack tells her straight out that she probably won’t ever walk again. When he tells her this she simply replies with “Oh.” but when he tells her fiancé he starts to question whether he wants to proceed with the wedding. After Christian tells Jack that even giving her a 1% chance will allow her to have some hope Jack still doesn’t do that. Just before he begins the operation she finds a way to be positive in light of the horrible odds. After telling Jack that he’s invited to the wedding and she’ll be ok because she’ll be able to “roll around” (i.e. in a wheelchair) it’s at this point that Jack replies that he’s going to fix her. It’s her optimism that actually fixes him! I’d say that puts her in the “faith” camp.
Jukin, I think that you are right and that Sarah probably isn’t so strongly in the science camp. . I had not thought of her optimism in regards to what was her upcoming wedding.So I will need to revise Sarah’s position in this faith/science continuum.
Jukin, I think you make some very good connections in your theory. Nice work! +1
The events which alter Jack’s course, are in fact which eventually places him on “the island”.
I think you hit on a key element with Jack and Sarah.
Sarah started all the course of events but I don’t think it was planned. Jack had faith in himself and Sarah had faith in Jack but I don’t know if it went any farther than that. It’s a good and interesting theory tho.