The Others in Lost are a mysterious group of inhabitants who have lived on the island long before the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 and even before the Dharma Initiative or U.S. Army expeditions

. They are followers of Jacob, the island's protector, and act as his intermediaries, with Richard Alpert serving as their ageless liaison to Jacob

. Jacob never directly appears to the Others but influences them through Richard and others. The Others were brought to the island by Jacob over many years, often against their will, as part of his experiment to test humanity and find a suitable successor to protect the island

. Their history spans centuries, with notable members including Ben Linus, Charles Widmore, Eloise Hawking, and Alex Rousseau

. The Others have a complex relationship with the survivors of Flight 815, sometimes antagonistic but also intertwined with the island's deeper mythology. In summary, the Others are:

• A longstanding group native to the island before the plane crash and Dharma Initiative

• Followers and agents of Jacob, the island's protector, guided by Richard Alpert

• People brought or drawn to the island by Jacob over many years to serve his purposes

• Led at different times by figures like Richard, Eloise Hawking, Charles Widmore, and Ben Linus

• Central to the island's mythology and the conflict with the Man in Black

This group is key to understanding the island's mysteries and the overarching narrative of Lost