Jack agrees to help Richard out by lighting the fuse, but then sits there right next to him, much to Hurley’s chagrin. Jack wants answers, and he believes that the dynamite won’t go off if he’s there. He believes he’s protected the same way that Richard is. Being there with the dynamite that he lit, well, that would be suicide. And that apparently doesn’t work. Jack manages to convince Hurley to get out of there, just in case. Sure enough, the dynamite does not go off. And now Richard is ready to follow Jack, who wants to go back to where they started.
