THE ORDER OF JACOB

All religions have been obsessed with the meaning of life and death. In this alternative LOST, Jacob is the leader of secret sect whose mission is to protect the most sacred of places, the source of the life force. The life force which creates, destroys and renews all life in the universe. A force so powerful that its protection is protection of all life.

Jacob would have his followers in an underground temple in an abandoned California mission. There, we would see the Lamp Post facility with its old computer and swinging pendulum. Alpert would be Jacob's liaison to Dogen, the temple master who would teach the new recruits like Locke to the path of enlightenment. 

There is one concept that is clear as day. The concept of god, creator, and all knowing being is found in one place, in the light source. It has the power to create life, destroy life and to give rebirth. As such, it is an entity of enormous power. But in its energy form, it is venerable to attack or discharge which to throw the universe into chaos.

Jacob's cult is part religious order and part paramilitary guards. Chief among Jacob's recruits is Sayid, a despondent Iraqi War veteran who seeks peace and redemption for his past sins. Sayid is trusted with a crusade to protect the energy source from the heathen capitalists that want to exploit its power to the destruction of mankind. Sayid believes that this mission will get him to paradise in the after life.

It is Sayid who finds a wayward Locke the perfect tool to help in Sayid's quest for immortality. Locke is a man without a family; without dreams; without hope for a future. Sayid can use that emptiness and fill it with the purpose of the Order.  Locke falls for the high purpose and his elevated personal stake in something much larger than his pitiful life. So Locke is recruited to spy on Dharma. But Locke, thinking himself as an avenging angel, takes it upon himself to destroy Dharma which leads to major headaches for Jacob and Sayid. Locke's actions actually brings Dharma and Widmore closer to finding the hidden light source. Jacob must scramble to contain the damage.

He finds a prospect in Bernard, a dentist who is searching for a miracle cure for his wife's terminal cancer. Bernard finds Jacob at the mission and asks him for Divine intervention. Jacob makes "a deal" with Bernard - - - he must get a job at Widmore's research facility in order to disrupt Widmore's chase of the light source. The early information Locke acquired from Dharma is Bernard's passport into Widmore's facility . . . posing as a disgruntled ex-Dharma employee.

Rose only learns of the deal after Bernard has started to work for Widmore. She is livid that Bernard was conned by some "religious nut," and their relationship turns sour. Bernard is distraught. Widmore sees a sudden change in Bernard, and he confesses that his mind is on his sick wife. Widmore offers him hope (a false promise of a cure that he is close to achieving) if Bernard can recruit "someone special" for his project. Bernard goes to Rose's social worker mission where he meets a lonely boy who has lost his mother, and is abandoned by his adopted father for foster home placement. Bernard talks to Walt about the future, how it is always darkest before the light. Bernard sneaks a peak at Walt's file while waiting for Rose to end her work day. He finds out that Walt's adopted father abandoned him because Walt has "unusual abilities" to control nature, especially birds in dangerous ways. Bernard steals a copy of this report and takes to it Widmore, who is impressed by Walt's condition.

Bernard says he is not unsure Walt can trust him. So Widmore gives Bernard the candy to lure Walt to their side: the identity of Walt's real father, Michael. So Bernard makes another deal with Widmore to recruit Walt with the promise of giving him a chance at a new family life. Walt, who has no future on his own, accepts the proposal to go with Bernard to meet his father. But once in Widmore's compound, a distraught Bernard confesses that it was a trap - - - a pledge to get a cure for his sick wife - - - that Walt was merely a pawn in a bigger game. Walt feels betrayed by adults, again. So he lashes out, causes lab animals to die, foam at the mouth, bite their handlers, and destroy much research gains. But this mental ability fascinates Widmore to no end. He could use Walt's mind to find a portal to the life source.

But after confessing to Rose his bad deeds, Bernard is told that he has to make amends to Walt. So Bernard, through the files at Widmore's offices, tracks down Michael. He tells Michael that his son "needs" him. That he is being held like a lab rat at Widmore's facility. He needs to rescue his son.

But Michael has no means of taking on Widmore and his men, like Keamy. Until he meets a man outside the research campus who stops his car to ask Michael if he needs a lift. That man is Alpert, who takes Michael to the mission to meet Jacob to discuss his problem. And Jacob offers Michael a solution: Sayid and his skill set. And thus Jacob finds a weapon to pierce Widmore's iron gate. But Sayid will only use Michael and his life as a diversion for his own plan to take down Widmore's research facility.

Jacob's cult then has a two front battle on its hands: one to take down Dharma, and another to take down Widmore.