LIGHTHOUSE

As soon as I heard the title for this episode I started thinking about what it meant.

A lighthouse is a tower, building, or framework designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire and used as an aid to navigation and to pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses are used to help guide the way for those who are lost. Do you like my pun? Okay sorry, but you can't blame a girl for trying.

I'm not going to detail what happened on this episode. YOU already know what happened and watched it the same time as I did and probably as many times over as well.

Who the heck would EVER have guessed that Jack had a kid? But I don't think the existence of his son, David, is as important as what Jack does with his son. We see a very troubled relationship between father and son. Neither are skilled communicators and neither really knows what to do about the other. Sure Jack does the "parental" stuff because that's what he HAS to do, but really, even then it's only once a month. What's up with that? No wonder the kid is distant and cold.

Anyway, there a few things we can learn from this side time. Jack is still struggling with the loss (literally and figuratively) of his father. His mother is still a needy, demanding cow. One way or another, Claire Littleton will meet her brother (and Mommie Dearest Margo is not going to be very happy about that), and Jack will learn that his father wasn't the pious father he tried to make everyone believe he was.

In side time, Jack had broken the circle and taken steps to be a better father. This is important, because the changes he makes in that world will eventually spill over into the "original" world and Jack will have his answers and his purpose.

Ever since LA X we have seen the Others popping into the Losties' lives. Ethan is a doctor. Ben is a teacher. Dogen is the father of a gifted boy. I have a thought about why the Others are showing up in the side time and why certain things (Jack's appendix, for one) have been changed. Something Dogen said to Jack at the conservatory sort of made things click.

"It is hard to watch and be unable to help"

Since the two side by side (almost) times were first revealed (thanks Team Darlton for yet more confusion), I've been wondering how it would all play out. Why have the writers given us this other time (thankfully no time travel as of yet), a sort of "what if" view of how the survivors' lives would have turned out had the plane landed, but changed details of their lives and pasts? And I just couldn't get that book title "All That Rises Must Converge" out of my head (remember, I shared some thoughts from my friends?) and started thinking about what must happen before our Losties, and the island, find a somewhat peaceful purpose in their lives.

Other than the obvious learn to play in the sand box together nicely, I realized that in both times the characters were floundering, no matter the differences in their lives. You and I know it, too. Something has to happen to bring our characters to a point of enlightenment. At some point, I think we will see the characters from the side time and the original time merge and become one. Only then will they know what they are doing and why. I think the Others are off the island to help bring them to that point, just like on the island the survivors are slowly learning what it is they need to do.

Of course, I am probably sitting on that non planet Pluto with this one, but that's the charm of LOST. It enables us to think things up and be creative as we try to find that which is LOST.

I wonder what Jack was thinking as he looked into the pond at the temple... He's been doing a lot of introspection lately and trying to find his answers within. As Jacob explained to Hurley, sometimes you just gotta sit and look out to the sea. Ya think?

When was the last time we saw Jack sit and look out at the ocean? Think about it. Think about what happened just before he parked himself in the sand and lost himself in the rolling waves. I'll let you work on that and discuss.

Speaking of the sea, I need to mention that lighthouse. As soon as I saw it I thought of the Lighthouse of Alexandria (nice picture, eh?). For some time I have suspected that Jacob was watching not only the people he has touched, but others as well. I rationalized that he had a way to see the appropriate time to enter into their lives. I just didn't think of this. I like this! Each degree is a possible candidate and he can look into their lives to see how they are doing. What I didn't like was the thought that Jacob has been manipulating everything in their lives with the sole purpose of bringing them to the island. It really destroys that whole "Everything is an option" thing that Dogen was talking about right before he qualified it with, I'd have to stop you. Nice guy.

Of course, Jacob's revelation that there was danger on its way to the temple has alarmed me. Sayid and Miles are still there! In Jacob's eyes Flocke is the "someone bad", I'm sure. And he's bringing CWAYZEEEE CLAIRE along for the ride!

Here's a question for you. Did Claire naturally just start going loopy on her own or do you think she's has a nudge, shove and push along the way? I can think of two "almost" people who would do this to her. Well, actually one because I'm pretty sure one is the pretending to be the other.

If you can't see where I'm heading I'll give you a hint, but only one. Christian and MIB. I can't tell you any more without giving it all away. Sorry.

And poor Claire. Sheesh, this girl just can't catch a break, can she? First her mother is in a coma for I can't even remember how long. Then her lover leaves her because he can't handle the thought of being a daddy. Funny how some people try so hard to be grown up but run at the first sign of responsibility, isn't it? Oh, and I think Thomas is an Other, BTW. Back to Claire. She tries to give the baby up for adoption, and you can't blame her there, survives a plane crash, is kidnapped and injected, traumatized by the that, she goes and gives birth on a deserted island with a fugitive to help her. Do you see where I'm going with this? There is no reason on Earth this girl SHOULDN'T be crazy! And let's not get started on the whole Charlie thing. That's just painful.

I'm not liking Jin too much right now and was disappointed that he failed to mention how they found the baby all alone in the jungle, saved it's life and, when the chance for rescue came, they took him with them. Those are some pretty important facts to leave out of the conversation, Jin! Then to tell her that Aaron is at the temple? What is he thinking? I really don't know where they are going with that one and I'd hate to see the Kwon name crossed out.

I think this episode shows us that change is possible. We saw Jack's life completely different and are left wondering how he can have his appendix removed twice. There are definitely some changes that go farther back in time than the explosion of Jug Head in 1977, if it did indeed explode in 1977. Could it be possible that it was "flashed" to a totally different time and the rubble under which Juliet died was from the implosion of the Swan a second time?

Man, I just LOVE how LOST leaves me dazed and confused!

DID YOU NOTICE?

The theme of black and white is again prevalent. Jack's apartment had black and white furnishings and there was a long shot of David's hands playing the piano.

In the Annotated Alice, Alice has two cats. Kitty and Snowdrop. One cat is white and the other is black.

The poster on David's bedroom wall was for a concert dated on the 19th. That's the date of the Purge and Ben's birthday.

In case you missed the shot up there ^..... the sign at the music conservatory said "Welcome All "Candidates"".

The chain that Hurley used to move the mirrors was nice and shiny.... almost brand spanking new, in fact!

The name Shephard at 23 degrees is written in much darker than all the other names.

I had speculated that Kate's number, if she had one, was 108. I was wrong. Her number is 51 and hasn't been crossed out. Wallace (crossed out) was at 108.

Just a note. From what I was able to read of the crossed out names on the disk with the mirrors.

Pryce - 14

Rousseau - 20

Brennan - 35

Stanhope - 48

Burke - 58

Faraday - 101

Friendly - 109 (I'm assuming this is Tom)

Linus - 117

Dawson - 124

QUESTIONS:

Did Claire flash through time like everyone else left behind or did her "condition" keep her feet firmly planted in 2004 (and her loopy brain)?

How long does it take to be fully "claimed"? Dogen said that once the darkness reaches the heart there is nothing left of who that person was, yet Claire can remember Jin.

If Claire had a friend, why didn't they bring her a hair brush?

Since Sayid was shot and Claire said she was shot, does the darkness that claims a person need an open wound to enter the body? If so, is Jin next?

Who's coming to the island and can they find their own way, as Jacob said?

QUOTES:

There were some good lines in this episode that I'm having a difficult time choosing a few. Most of them were from Hurley.

My fave?

Hurley to Jacob: I just lied to a samurai.

Jack: I don't understand. How is it that we've never seen it before? Looking at the lighthouse.

Hurley: I guess we weren't looking for it.

Jack: Does it say anything on your arm about the door being jammed?

Hurley: Uhm, no.

Jack kicks in the door.

Hurley, mostly to himself: "I guess they used mirrors because electricity hadn't been invented yet....."

Claire had a few good lines too. My fave?

"If there's one thing that'll kill you around here, it's infection" Hahahahahahahahaha, that's irony for you considering Dogen says she's infected.

Hurley to Jack after encountering Kate: "Dude, Jacob said just you and me. She's kinda not invited"

Hurley, to Jacob: "Jack broke your lighthouse, dude. Mission UN complished!

Jacob after telling Hurley about the bad person at the temple: "You can't warn them, Hugo. I'm sorry, it's too late"

Dogen, in Japanese: "You're luck I have to protect you. Otherwise I'd have cut your head off"

Of course, that's if my friend translated is correctly for me. She has been known to give me false translations before.

Next week, Sundown.

I suddenly have Gordon Lightfoot singing in my ear....

Sundown, you better take care.......

The Substitute

After last week's episode I was worried. Very worried that Season six was going to turn into my least favourite of them all. What Kate Does tried very hard to sour my taste for all things LOST. But, I have invested enough time to know that team Darlton would not disappoint us.

I think we will begin to see things starting to come together now. We now know, for example, that John Locke of the Side Time is not so different from his "Original Time" version. While things are different in many ways, some things remain the same.

SIDEWAYS

Locke lives with Helen in a nice house and they are planning to be married. Since this is 2004 it was gratifying and heart warming to think that they would have at least two years together before the brain aneurysm kills Helen. Some things just aren't going to change in either of the times and I believe this is one of them. Helen is tired of making wedding arrangements and suggests they run away to Vegas. Call her parents and his dad and just go.

John still works for the box company and had been sent to Sydney to attend a conference. But John had lied to both Helen and his boss and attempted to go on a Walkabout, only to be told he cannot. He is fired by Randy Nations (did he seem a little too happy to fire him?) and has to go home and explain to his soon to be wife that he is out of a job.

But John can't even leave his former place of work. He refused to park in the handicap parking and a large yellow Hummer was parked right next to his van, making it impossible for his chair lift to operate. It turns out the Hummer belongs to Hugo, who apologizes for parking so close. They introduce themselves and John explains that Randy just fired him. Hugo (notice he does not use his nickname) agrees that Randy isn't a very nice person and, feeling bad, gives John the phone number to the temp agency he owns.

At the temp agency, John is insisting on being placed in a construction job and when the girl refuses demands to talk to the manager. Now, I don't know about you but I was somewhat surprised to see Rose Nadler step in. She explains that there are just some things that certain people can't do and once they accept that limitation, life is so much better to live. We learn that she is dying from terminal cancer and there is nothing she can do about it.

John tries to phone Jack and chickens out. Fear has been a constant companion of John's in the Original time, and it would appear that it is with him in Sideways 2004 as well.

Perhaps John accepted his limitations, for we next see that he is a substitute PE/ Health Studies teacher at a Jr, High School. When he visits the teacher's lounge he meets Benjamin Linus (I was not expecting that) who introduces himself as the European History teacher. I can't wait for the writers' explanation on that one!

2007

Ben tells a weeping Ilana that Flocke killed her team then implies (that habitual liar) that it was also Flocke who killed Jacob and kicked him into the fire. Upon hearing that Jacob's body was burned, Ilana collects ashes from the pit. When Ben asks why Flocke took Richard into the jungle she vaguely tells him that he is "recruiting."

Outside the foot, the rest of the Others have left Sun and Frank behind with John's body and gone to the temple for safety. Ilana suggest they go there as well, explaining to Sun that, if Jin is alive, he would be there. Sun says they need to bury John first. Ben, Sun, Frank and Ilana take his body to the survivor's camp, dig a grave and, Ben says a few words, admitting to murdering John and voicing his extreme regret. Well, no kidding, Ben. If you knew then what you know now...... But I digress. Ben's confession surprised both Sun and Ilana. Interesting that nothing seems to phase Frank, who grumbles: "Weirdest funeral I've ever been to."

Frank gets some great one liners.

From the vantage point of Smokey, we travel through the jungle and into The Barracks, where Smokey pauses at a window (did you see his reflection too?) from which music is playing. It then moves through and stops over a machete. Smokey transforms into Locke, picks up the machete and walks farther into the jungle, stopping at a large tree with what looks to be a bag hanging from it. He cuts the vine and Richard Alpert tumbles out. Poor Richard doesn't look that great (although his eyes are still wonderfully accentuated) and he doesn't appear to have the answers anymore. If he ever did.

Flocke tells Richard that he wants him to go with him, but Richard refuses, despite being mocked by Flocke that he has followed someone without knowing why or what the outcome would be. Flocke becomes distracted when he sees a young boy standing in a clearing with bloody outstretched arms. Richard and Flocke part ways, and Flocke heads back to the Barracks, stopping to visit with a now very drunk, and nearly naked, Sawyer.

Okay, am I the only one who was a bit surprised that there was still electricity flowing to the Barracks after three years of no one taking care of things? I'm sure that an overload would have occurred pretty early in the abandonment. But, there was electricity and Sawyer had found himself a bottle of whiskey and was rocking out to the Stooges playing "Search and Destroy." Just a quick tidbit, a line in the song goes "Somebody better save my soul."

Sawyer knows it isn't Locke he is seeing or talking to and tells him to get out. But Flocke tells him that, if he goes with him, he will tell him the answer to the biggest question....why Sawyer is on the island. It would seem that Sawyer is deeply disillusioned and needs some answers, because he gets dressed and follows Flocke into the jungle. They both see the boy, and Flocke chases after him, tripping. The boy faces him and reminds him of the rules. You can't kill him, he says.

While Flocke is chasing the mystery boy, Richard emerges from the jungle and tries to convince Sawyer to go to the temple with him. Sawyer doesn't want to. Richard tells him that Flocke has lied to him and that all he wants is for everyone to die. Sawyer doesn't seem to care. Terrified, Richard runs when he hears Flocke coming. They question each other and agree that neither saw who or what they saw. Sawyer pulls a gun and asks what Flocke is, who responds that he is trapped, but he used to be a man.

At a cliff they climb down some pretty rickety ladders (and unlike my friends who immediately thought of Jacob's Ladder, I totally missed that). I would NEVER have attempted to climb down those ladders myself (petrified of heights), I was feeling a bit of vertigo just watching as Sawyer descended, then nearly had heart failure when the ladder broke. But, I think Flocke needs someone to physically take him off the island, and he saved Sawyer.

They reached a cave. Sitting in the mouth of the cave was a balanced scale. A black rock balancing against a white rock. Flocke takes the white rock and tosses it into the pounding surf below. So, now we know for certain who represented white and who represented black. I thought of the two small pebbles that Jack found with Adam and Eve in the first season.

Deeper into the cave, Flocke tells Sawyer that he was brought to the island by Jacob, even though Sawyer doesn't think he ever met him. He shows him the ceiling and walls of the cave, covered with names and numbers, most crossed out. Only six names remain that have not been crossed out.

4-Locke

8- Reyes

15- Ford

16- Jarrah

23- Shephard

42- Kwon

Each of the names represents someone who could be a candidate (where have we heard that word before?) and MIB shows Sawyer his name. James Ford is a candidate to take over the job of protecting the island, even though the island doesn't need protecting. It is just an island. there are three options for a candidate.

1 -Do nothing, see what happens. Hopefully not required to step up.

2 - Do Jacob's job and protect the island.

3 - Leave. Just leave, never look back. Flocke and Sawyer can to that together.

Sawyer doesn't really want that job. He's done with the island life.

DID YOU NOTICE?

When the smoke monster pauses at the barracks window, you can see the reflection of "Smokey"

When John's ramp breaks down it makes a clicking sound, just like the sound Smokey makes.

The colour swatches that Kate shows John are the same colour scheme that ABC uses in it's advertising for LOST.

Richard lied to Juliet to recruit her to the Others and claims that Flocke is lying to Sawyer to recruit him.

This is the first time we ever see Richard afraid.

John Locke was confined to a wheelchair whilst Flocke is confined to an island.

Hurley owns the same yellow hummer in both times.

Flocke tells Sawyer that the island doesn't need to be protected, which parallels Jack telling Locke the same thing in "There's No Place Like Home."

QUESTIONS

Why did Ilana gather Jacob's ashes? What significance do they have and could they help protect her? Them?

Why is Smokey stuck with John's form now? Why can't he just change into another person?

Even though she was touched, why isn't Kate's name on the wall?

In the Sideways time, Helen mentioned John's father. We can assume that they have a good relationship. If so, how did John become paralyzed?

How did Ben get off the island and become a European History teacher?

QUOTES:

I only have one that's notable.

Frank: Weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to.

"Nuff said.

I think the MIB, although in a human form, needs someone alive to WILLINGLY remove him from the island. He can't just up and leave the way Jacob was able to, which leaves me to wonder what it was about him that made the Powers That Be confine him there in the first place.

I am worried for James. It's the last season and not one of our favourite LOSTIES is guaranteed to make it to the end of the season. I hate the thought that James would be gullible enough to fall for MIB's manipulations. Notice that MIB only goes after those who's psyches are beaten and fragile. John Locke was desperate to be anything than what he was. James is desperate to remove himself from the source of heartache and a deep excruciating pain.

What did you think? What did I miss?

Next week, it's the Lighthouse. If I am correct, Season Six is following the pattern of Season One and it should be a Jack centric episode.

WHAT KATE DOES

What Kate Does ranks pretty low on my list of all time favourite episodes, but it did provide us with a few insights, which we'll get to a bit later.

SIDEWAYS

Kate carjacks a taxi. I found it almost comical as the driver tries to drive and keep from filling his pants at the same time, and wanted to see him trip when total cowardice overtook him. Talk about a real man who leaves a poor pregnant girl at the mercy of this crazed gun toting woman. Then, dumping a very pregnant Claire on the side of the street and paying the mechanic $200 to punch open the handcuffs.

We saw a glimpse of the real Kate when she realized exactly what she had done and went back to that bus stop bench for Claire, then helped to find her destination. The indignation on Claire's behalf when the woman said that she didn't want to adopt the baby anymore and she couldn't even be bothered to CALL? As an aside, did anyone else wonder if, in this side time, Claire had visited Richard Malkin and he had told her that the baby should not be raised by another? Did you question if the Fates were making sure that Claire kept her baby?

Poor Claire starts going into labour and Kate rushes her to the hospital, then grabs the first doctor (that was a bit of a shock) she could find, who calms Claire and takes an ultrasound.

I snickered at Dr. Goodspeed's line "I just don't want to stick you with needles if I don't have to."

Oh, the irony of that statement.

The police come and Claire lies, then gives Kate her credit card as a show of gratitude.

2007

Dogen and Lennon and the rest of the Other Others were shocked to find that Sayid in fact survived. I'm still amazed that his shirt was miraculously healed as well. Just think, the Others must have clothes from decades ago that's in pristine condition! Am I the only one who thought it odd that Jack said to get Sayid water? Really, Sayid must have swallowed at least two litres of the beer coloured swill in the spring!

Sawyer and Miles arrive, not of their own accord, and Sawyer's resentment that some people get to live while others die filled the already oppressive room. We are seeing the return of Season One Saywer. The one cares for no one but himself and who will challenge anyone and everyone. Right now he has no reason to stay and most certainly no reason to help Jack, Hurley, Jin, Sayid, Kate or even Miles. And on that note, he makes a break for it and, of course tells them NOT to follow him. Kate, of course, takes that as an invitation.

Aldo. Wow, what can be said about Aldo that hasn't already been said before. The boy has a chip on his shoulder and I really don't think he's "Other" material. He's bent on revenge for being rifle butted by sweet Kate. Poor dude just can't win and his aggression gets him in the end. Well, that and Claire, but I'll get to that in a bit, I promise.

So, while Kate and Aldo and Jason, plus Jin head out to track Sawyer, Dogen and Lennon take Sayid for "questioning". A few electric shocks and a red hot poker later they return him to Jack's custody. Just what Sayid failed, I'm not sure, but how the heck does one pass the electric shock and red hot poker test anyway? Jack, of course is not impressed and takes a walk.

Dogen explains that Sayid is "infected", which to a doctor means high fever, delirium. You know, the normal kind of symptoms for infection. So, Dogen offers a "pill" but refuses to tell Jack what is contains and what it will do to Sayid. He tells Jack: "You'll just have to trust me". Ha ha, Jack's display of trust is to swallow the little green happy pill himself, which elicits such a rapid response that I'll bet his chest completely regrets it. This is when we learn that the pill contained poison and that Sayid was "claimed".

According to Dogen, "there is a darkness growing in him and when it reaches his heart, everything Sayid once was will be gone". I can only guess that the Black Smoke Monster or MIB has something to do with this. This is also when we learn that Claire is still alive....sort of.....maybe....well, her body anyway? Is this why Ben is the way he is?

Just an observation here. In 1977, after Sayid shot young Ben and Richard took him to the temple, they brought him back to the camp to heal. HIS wound was in approximately the same place as Sayid's, but I did notice how it didn't heal as well as Sayid's did. Just an observation and a little something for you to chew on.

I used to care about Kate and what happened to her until last season, then I found myself growing more and more annoyed by her than anything else. Her constant wavering between Jack and Sawyer, even after leaving the island and they didn't really know if the others were alive or dead (really, the island DISAPPEARED PEOPLE!!) Kate was still unable (or unwilling) to love the one she was with. She has an innate ability to listen and then go and do the complete opposite.

Really, what did she hope to gain by chasing after Sawyer? The man is consumed by grief, guilt and anger and Kate only represents all that he has lost since the return of the Oceanic four (not counting Sun because she accompanied Locke's cadaver to 2007). I was glad to see Sawyer grieve for Juliet and angered by Kate crashing his little pity party. But this was a scene that HAD to happen for several reasons.

First, we needed to see Sawyer grieve for Juliet. His relationship with her allowed him to grow past the stunted resentful little orphan boy into a man able to give himself over heart and soul. Kate would never have been able to do that. Another reason this scene had to happen is because Kate needed to be shown and told that Sawyer was unavailable to her. His is a ship that sailed when he jumped from the helicopter. He had moved on while Kate was still wavering between two men. Finally, she needed to see that he did not need her, nor did he want her, to help in his grieving process.

A thought about Dr. Ethan Goodspeed and the Sideways Timeline.

Since Horace and Pierre evacuated the island, and we saw that the island is underwater, I am assuming that a return to the island was impossible. Dharma would have been forced to abandon their "foray" to the island and the people who were evacuated would have had to find their own way in the world. Ethan would have grown up without the influences of Ben, the Others and the conflict between the Others and Dharma. But it still saw the irony of his "sticking with needles" quip.

Also, since the Others did not evacuate the island, and young Ben was still in their care, I am assuming he died with them as the island descended into the great blue yonder.

Which brings me to Eloise Hawking. In 1977 she was pregnant with Daniel and if she went down with the island, we will find that his existence had been wiped out. I am thinking that it is possible that Penny still exists since she was born off island and had never been there. Things would be different for her, though, since she would not be exposed to her father's amassed wealth and it is possible that she and Desmond never meet.

DID YOU NOTICE?

Am I the only one who thought that "Claimed" Claire looked an awful lot like 1954's version of Eloise Hawking? I don't know, but those blond curls, that knowing but not sure expression...... Maybe it was just me.

The guy that played the taxi driver runs like a girl. Just sayin'

Jason really wanted share with Kate and Jin and called them "THEM", so now we have three groups. The Others, the Other Others, and Them? Elitist jerks.

Ethan still became a doctor and still has that goofy grin.

The nurse that takes Claire into the hospital is the same woman who played Aaron's Nanny in Eggtown.

QUESTIONS

How long is years? Jason said that the Rousseau woman has been dead for years.

How was Dogen brought to the island and when? Is he like Richard? Ageless?

Was the poison meant to completely kill Sayid or just what "claimed" him?

Where has Claire been since wandering off into the Jungle of Mystery with her dead but not dead father? Did he facilitate the "claiming" of her? Speaking of the walking dead, where's Christian? Did he abandon Claire once she was claimed, or did the "whatever" is is that does the claiming move from Christian to Claire?

Why do the Others call the survivors of the crash "Them"?

Now that Kate is alone, will she go back to the Temple or will she do what she promised to do and seek out Claire?

When will Miles speak up and tell Jack about the things that he is sensing? We all know that he sensed something was not quite right with Claire and again with Sayid.

When Kate was on the dock crying, was she crying for Sawyer's loss or the fact that he's rejected her?

After so long on the island, and sharing a bed with Juliet, what has she told Sawyer about the Others? I mean, I'm sure they had some pretty interesting pillow talk sessions in the quiet of the night.

QUOTES

Dogen: Please, you have to stay.

Sawyer: No, I don't.

Mechanic: I've got a steady hand, but I kind of feel like we off on the wrong foot.

Hurley: We'll be in the food court if you need us.

Kate: I'm sorry, I never should have followed you.

Sawyer: Which time?

Jack: Did I say something funny?

Lennon: I kind of doubt it. He doesn't usually have a sense of humour.

Sayid: I remember being shot.

Hurley: You're not a zombie, right?

I already know that this was a low episode in the list of favourites, but what are YOUR questions? Did you want that hour back? I know I didn't.

Next we see The Substitute. Does this tell us what Frank could be a candidate for? Does Flocke find a way to get off the island? Will Kate ever redeem herself or will we be glad if she's the next to die?

Let me know.

LA X

How cool was that opening sequence? Nothing like a little turbulence to rattle your nerves and then a swooping pan down to the water surface, diving right in to pin point the location of the island. And let's not forget the sorry state it is in, all soggy and wet and covered with sea growth. Did you notice the Dharma logo on the shark swimming past the foot? Clear evidence that the island has been down under for a while. If that's where the island is......

My worst fear was that we would see a total reset of their lives, not an alternate reality or timeline, as it appears as if it may have come to pass. The writers call it Flashsideways, and we are seeing what things may have been had the plane landed.

Or are we?

Like me, you have probably noticed several glaringly obvious differences between the Pilot episode and LA X. And no doubt you may have notices some subtle differences as well. One phrase kept running through my mind as I watched last night.

It is the same, but it's all different.

Check out DarkUFO for a side by side comparison of the Oceanic flights.

I have one question that's nagging the back of my mind.

Were our favourite LOSTIES still anywhere near the hydrogen bomb when it exploded? I've always believed that any force, when met with an equal and opposing force, will have it's power nullified by the opposite power. I'm not sure if that makes sense. Here's a little test for you. Go out and find two semi trucks of equal horsepower, put them bumper to bumper and have them use the same amount of force and try to force the other rig to go backwards. Chances are that the only thing you get is a whole lot of noise from the high rev engines, and black diesel smoke and, unless someone backs off on the gas peal, two trucks with dented front ends. The point is this, neither truck is able push the other backward because the opposing forces of the trucks balance each other out and basically nullify the effect. The same can be said of the electromagnetic burst and the blast of the bomb. So, I'm thinking that they were "flashed" through time just nanoseconds before Jughead blew.

I'm very glad that there wasn't a total reset of time. That would really suck Tarewet's missing toe, in my opinion. I'm intrigued by this sideways reality and can't wait to see where the writers take everyone with it. AND we still get to see what's happening on Mystery Frickin' Island! Damon and Carlton really love us.

Jacob is dead, and now we know why he touched Hurley and convinced him to return to the island. Jacob needed Hurley to see him after he was killed and to deliver the Ankh and Sayid to the temple. I get that. But what I don't get is how Jacob knew to put Jack's, Kate's, Hugo's, Jin's and Sayid's names into the Ankh in the Guitar case. Consider for a moment that the guitar case has been in Hurley's possession since the taxi in LA and has traveled across the world and through time with him.

Juliet is dead as well. There's no denying it. We can cry enough tears to raise the water level of the ocean to sink the island, but it's not going to bring her back. I'm going to miss her almost as much as Sawyer will miss her. She helped him grow into a man and taught him to step up. From her her learned that being sensitive and loving does not minimize what makes him a man. He learned about the real, deep in the heart and feel it in the toes love from her. And, unfortunately, he learned what it is to lose that love. But has he?

Let's think about this for a moment. Just before Juliet died she said two things that caught my attention.

"We'll have coffee sometime...."

"We can go Dutch"

"I have something to to tell you.....it's really, really important"

But that was all she could muster before the end came. And Sawyer did not want to hear it when Miles told him what she'd wanted to tell him. Good thing Miles was there to let us in on that little secret.

When Juliet said that, I immediately thought that, in some way, Jack's efforts had worked. In some way, somehow, the bomb had made enough of an impact to cause small changes and, perhaps, in death, Juliet had never set foot on the island and Sawyer had never crashed. Some where, in that alternate reality they would meet.

Then I got all cynical and thought that Sawyer was conning her.

Some people believe that Sawyer is nicer, not a con man on the second flight, but I think that since his father murdered his mother and then killed himself in 1977, Sawyer's life path had already been set.

I have to say that Hurley's new assertiveness was a breath of fresh air. And we all just knew that he'd looked in the guitar case even before he boarded Ajira 316. And calling out the Asian guy at the temple for being able to understand and speak English was great. Hurley is far more observant than we give him credit for.

Now, I know that I'm probably one of three people on this planet who likes Jack. Sure, he has his faults (like every other character), but I believe he has come a long way while still having miles to go before he finds the peace he is seeking. He hasn't been given much opportunity to grow. Forced into a leadership role that he did not want, Jack stepped up, took responsibility for the choices he made and, in the process, did what he thought everyone wanted him to do.

That's far more than what any other survivor has done. Locke's blinding need to remain on the island lead him to his own destruction and he took many innocent lives with him. But I forgive him, I really do. How can I not feel sorry for a man who was so consumed by what he wasn't that he couldn't see the great man that he already was? The great irony has come to pass, has it not, that Flocke only wants to go home?

And just where is home, I wonder? It is clear that both Jacob and his nemesis have been on the island for a very very long time. But, as I have come to learn, everyone comes from somewhere, and the inhabitants of the island are no different. The Others are all from the four corners of the Earth. Some have been there for eons, some for centuries, some for mere months. Upon seeing the Others who were at the temple it became clear that their group consisted of all ethnicities and cultures.

As an aside, am I the only one who thought the interpreter dude looked suspiciously like John Lennon, only with a bigger nose? Just sayin'.

I don't know about Sun and Jin. They are still apart and I desperately want them to find each other once again. When I saw the customs official pull out all that money, I literally screamed that he was planning hide Sun and himself from her horrid father. I truly hope that was why he had that money. And am I the only one who thinks that Sun, despite knowing English, sort of left her hubby high and dry? And it would be heart breaking, really, considering all that they went through to find each other again.

There isn't much that can be said about Kate, and it saddens me that she appears to have not learned from her past mistakes. But you gotta love the alternate Kate and how she picked Jack's pocket and stole his pen, then tried to use it to open her handcuffs. Remember, she used the key that she took from the unconscious Edward while the plane was going down to remove the original pair. And how Sawyer helped her in a small way, to get away.

I didn't see Claire on the plane, but how interesting that she showed up in the taxi that Kate decides to hijack?

Let's talk about Richard, shall we? We still don't know a thing about him. How he came to the island, where he came from, how long he's been there, why he's never aged. But we got a nice little tidbit just before Flocke (we still don't know his name) carried him off to who-knows-where. Flocke mentioned that the last time he's seen him he was in chains. Me thinks our dear, ever so good looking, man-I-wish-I-had-natural-eyeliner, Richard was either a slave or a prisoner aboard the Black Rock. But that's just my thought.

One last thing. So typical of the airlines. If they don't crash you onto a mysterious island, they go and lose your dead father's coffin and case of 400 knives! It looks like Christian Shephard will arrive in LA via Calcutta, Cairo, Beijing, New York, Belfast and Aames, Iowa.

I could go an forever about what I saw, but I know you have all seen it at least twice or more by now.

QUESTIONS:

If Bram and Ilana KNEW anything about the island, why did Bram NOT know that bullets would have no effect on Flocke? I know he was kind of big and dense, but really? I guess his job ended once John's carefully made up body was delivered to the beach at the foot and they didn't need his brawn anymore.

If Desmond's clothes had been blown off in the Swan implosion, how come Kate, Sawyer, Jack and Miles still had their clothes on after the other implosion?

The Others at the Temple, though members of the Others, they are separate from the other Others. Remember the Economist? I wonder if he is among these other others, who appear to be completely self reliant and have no need for modern conveniences. Although, I would recommend the dual flush toilet to conserve water.

What did Hurley think when he peeked into the guitar case and saw the Ankh?

If there are tunnels under the temple walls, doesn't it stand to reason that there are tunnels running under the temple itself? And if that's the case, do the other others pour ash down little holes to keep Smokey at bay?

Now that he has successfully eliminated pretty well all of the competition (or at least anyone who would want the job), does this make Ben the leader of the others again?

If the spring can heal mortally wounded people, do you think it can heal mortally wounded clothing? Sayid's shirt appears to be healed.

Did Rose and Bernard flash through time with everyone else, or did they stay "stuck in the 70's" with disco and Dharma?

QUOTES:

Hurley: Goodbye, dude. If you ever wanna talk, I'm around.....

Ben: "What are you?

Flocke: "I'm not a what, Ben. I'm a who."

Ben: "You're the monster...."

Flocke: "Let's not resort to name calling."

Jacob, after emerging from the jungle: "Hello Hugo. You got a minute?"

Bernard: "Now I know hot the laundry feels when it's in the dryer"