[Maritime Q-Scout]

A few theories on the questions posed:

Jacob's Nemesis

• Who is he?
  Not sure, but I think it'll come out in this season.

• Why does he want to kill Jacob?
  I'm thinking of the whole BGS philosophy of "it's happened before, it'll happen again" where Jacob and the nemesis watch all of it. Jacob sees the good in people, the nemesis doesn't and always seems to lose his theory every loop. He's lost so much that now he wants to kill Jacob out of spite.
  • Why does he need a loophole?
    There is some sort of rule of the deity, gods, whatever, that won't allow one to kill the other
• What are his plans for the other Ajira passengers?
  The nemesis will probably try to kill them, or at least the ones Jacob didn't touch/specifically bring to the island.
• How is he able to take on the form of another person?
  He's the freakin' smoke monster, that makes him awesome and able to take on other forms (like Jack/Claire's father, Echo's brother Remi, Ben's daughter Alex, etc)
  • How was he able to acquire Locke's memories?
    He's a deity/god/whatever
  • How did he know Flight 316 was going to crash on the Island?
    He caused it?

Jacob

• Why is Jacob bringing specific people to the Island?
  It's all for the battle to bring down the Nemesis
  • How does Jacob choose these individuals?
    Based on who they are as a person, flawed but good people?
  • How does he bring them to the Island?
    He sets up the dominoes and each chooses through their actions even if not direction to go
• What is Jacob trying to prove?
  People are inherently good, even the ones that do evil things (perhaps the Nemesis is Adam ala Adam & Eve and he's jilted due to Eve's actions in the Garden of Eden?)
• Why did Jacob visit each person at these particular moments in their lives?
  They are the defining moments of their lives, Jacob was there to help them and touch them in a good way in their heart
  • How does he possess foreknowledge of these events?
    Going with the God thing
  • Why did he physically touch each of them?
    It was him drafting them, choosing them for the war against his nemesis
  • Why did Jacob give Hurley the guitar case?
    It was symbolic of Charlie
• How does Jacob prevent Richard from aging?
  Yep going with God thing, a deal they made
• Why wasn't Ben allowed to see Jacob?
  Because Ben wasn't working for Jacob, he was unknowingly working for the nemesis who told him he was working for Jacob
• Why didn't Jacob defend himself?
  Because he believes in reason and logic, and to use force would be conceding that people can be evil?

The Cabin

• Who broke the circle of ash and when did it happen?
  someone from the Dharma Initiative? Because they were told not to? I'm thinking Radzinsky

• Who has been using the cabin?
  Jacob's Nemesis
• Why did Ilana order the cabin to be burned?
  Because she knew Jacob's Nemesis was using it, possibly fraudulently in Jacob's name

Ilana

• How do Ilana and her followers know so much about the island?
  Ilana was on the Black Rock with Richard, or make the same type of deal Richard has made.
• What is her connection to Jacob?
  They know each other personally, obviously as per the season 5 finale. I'm theorizing she was on the Black Rock.
• Why was she heavily bandaged?
  No idea. She looked to be in the same hospital that Loche was when he got off the island. Perhaps she was already on the island and moved it before Ben did?
• Why does Ilana feel Frank is a candidate?
  She probably senses he's been on the island before?
  • What is he a candidate for?
    To join "the winning team" as Bram would say. To fight for Jacob.

General

• Who is coming?
  Richard, Ilana, et al
• Have the survivors caused the Incident or prevented it?
  Caused it. Juliet causing the nuclear blast ironically caused the infertility problems that originally brought her to the island.