Lost, the answer to one of the most frustrating mysteries has always been right before our eyes (and it's brilliant)

A question that is intertwined with biblical themes and the game of free will and destiny

Image Credit: ABC

Lost has left many questions unanswered, but it is precisely this choice that continues to fuel debate among fans twenty years after its release. One of the most fascinating mysteries concerns the candidate "Kwon" destined to protect the island. The main doubt is who, between Jin-Soo and Sun-Hwa Kwon, was the chosen one. However, the answer may be simpler than it seems: both spouses were potential candidates, with a path that is intertwined with biblical themes and the game of free will and destiny. Throughout the series, Hurley discovers that the numbers that haunt his life are linked to the candidates chosen to replace Jacob, the protector of the island. 

Among these, the number 42 is associated with the name "Kwon". However, neither Jacob nor the Others clarify whether he is referring to Jin or Sun. Jacob touches both of them during their wedding, suggesting that both are worthy of becoming the new guardians: this ambiguity reflects the flexibility of the “game” orchestrated by Jacob and his antagonist, the Man in Black, where the rules are not as rigid as they seem. The story of Jacob and the Man in Black recalls the biblical tale of Jacob and Esau, two brothers in conflict over their birthright. In the series, Jacob grows up on the island under the tutelage of “Mother,” who chooses him as her protector, unleashing his brother’s anger. 

This conflict leads Jacob to transform his brother into the Smoke Monster, starting an endless fight for control of the island. In flashbacks in season five, Jacob blesses Jin and Sun during their wedding, emphasizing the strength of their love. However, the way she touches them – Sun with her right hand, and Jin with his left – could suggest an initial preference for Sun. Her determination and courage emerge from the beginning, in contrast to her apparent submission to Jin, who works for her father in criminal activities. The island, however, becomes a place of redemption for both: Jin regains his self-confidence, while Sun rediscovers her love for her husband.

One of the implicit rules for being a candidate is to have no family ties that could distract from the mission. When Sun becomes a mother, Jacob considers her no longer suitable, just like Kate; furthermore, Sun's alliance with Charles Widmore to avenge Jin's death may have further excluded her. Sun's decision to leave her daughter to pursue revenge is a pivotal moment that definitively distances her from the role of protector of the island. In the final act of the series, Jin and Sun's sacrifice in the sinking submarine marks their definitive exclusion from Jacob's "game". Jin chooses to stay by Sun's side, accepting death rather than abandoning her. 

This gesture highlights the importance of free will: despite the protections of the island, Jin dies by his own choice, proving that he has earned the right to be considered a true candidate. It all comes down to a dual answer: Jin and Sun were both candidates, but circumstances and their choices led them down different paths. Lost suggests that, in the end, it is not fate that determines the outcome, but the decisions each person makes along the way.

Source: CBR