# TV show Lost Question---Ab Aeterno

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-lost-question-ab-aeterno/944224>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\
**Created:** [June 14, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-lost-question-ab-aeterno/944224 "2021-06-14T07:08:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-lost-question-ab-aeterno/944224/1 "2021-06-14T07:08:14Z")

</div>

I thought the idea was that the Man in Black/Smoke Monster could imitate someone so long as they were on the island. That’s why he could be Jack’s father and why it was necessary to bring Locke’s body back.

So in this episode, how is he able to take the form of Richard/Ricardus’ wife? She died in Spain and is not on the island.