In honor of the 10 year anniversary of Lost, I am posting my top 10 Lost moments. Today - well, I don't think I had ever heard this Mama Cass song before...and I will never...never be able to get it out of my head thanks to Des. See ya in another life, brotha! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e390BV7_oQA

In honor of the 10-year anniversary of Lost, I am uploading my top 10 favorite moments from the show. Today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCmLg3omWVE

In tribute to the 10 year anniversary of Lost, I am posting my top 10 fav moments, one per day. Spoiler alert if you haven't watched yet (which you should)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhdKZKQ2-Jc. This one - beyond the obvious, it completely challenged my preconceived cultural understandings.

It all comes down to a vending machine and Zod

So - many people have been asking me about the finale. I have waited quite some time to blog about it...I needed to digest. There is a lot of vitriol and anger out there about unanswered questions. I think that kind of misses the point, because a) the power of this show is that questions were always posed, and answered in a manner that raised new questions...the debate, inquiry, speculation, and discussion that this show was the catalyst for during the course of six years was simply astonishing. This is not a show that can be summed up at the water cooler. If the finale would have made it such, I would have been deeply disappointed; and b) many questions were answered, but you have to go through debate, introspection, and speculation in order to fathom it (the average person doesn't understand Buber on the first read-through...try reading the Talmud without debate).

So - I am going to start analyzing things one at a time.

First - the on the island plot of Desmond uncorking the light/energy on the island, and Jack putting it back. This had me thinking that the Losties...they were stuck...lost - if you will - in their lives. They were lost and unable to 'move on'. They were alone. Their lives were 'frozen'. Kind of like - do you remember when a Nintendo video game - one of the originals that came out in the late 80s/early 90s would get frozen/stuck? What would you do? You would pull it out, blow on it, maybe toggle the power button on and off, and then put it back in and turn it on. This was similar to what happened on the island. By the way - similar to what happened when Sawyer went to go get an Apollo bar...he had to unplug it and plug it back in.

The light/energy was as it always was, but needed to be uncorked by Desmond. This gave rise to an element we last saw in Superman II. KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!

At the end of Superman II, Sup is in the Fortress of Solitude. Zod, Ursa, and Non were there, determined to kill the son of Jor'el. They had Lois Lane as a hostage, and Lex Luthor was in tow.

What Luthor set in motion was the following: Superman had previously lost his power - purposefully - when he went into a case in the Fortress that emitted a radiation that made him like any human. He later regained his powers. Now, though, Luthor betrays Superman and reveals to the threesome that if they put him back in the case, he'll be just another human again. Little does he know that Sup has been jury rigged the case, and now the radiation is emitted on the outside - not the inside - so anyone standing on the outside will lose their powers. Sup makes short order of Zod and his companions.

This is what happened when Desmond uncorked the island. It took away the powers from anyone on the island...Richard Alpert lost his immortality, as indicated with his growing of a gray hair. Man-in-Black was trapped inside the corporeality that he was in the form of at the time, John Locke. And he became mortal.

Once Jack put the cork back in, Jack could die. Once in the limbo-world/sideways world, he became the catalyst for certain other Losties to move on.

What are your thoughts? Leave some comments...
Next element will be posted soon.

Shavuot’s gift: What to do after ‘Lost’

Shavuot's gift: What to do after Lost
By Ami Eden

May 11, 2010

New York (JTA) -- Early on in the Talmudic tractate of Taanit, Rabbi Yitzchak causes a bit of a stir when, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, he declares: "Jacob our father did not die."

Rav Nachman rejects the idea with a sharp retort, asking: "Was it then for nothing that they mourned Jacob and the embalmers embalmed him and the grave-diggers buried him?"

Most rabbinic commentators essentially end up siding with Rav Nachman, albeit more politely, by treating Rabbi Yitzchak's comment metaphhorically, as some sort of moral teaching about righteous living on through our memories of their good deeds. But what if we were to take the comment literally?

The first question we might ask is, "If Jacob never died, then were exactly has he been all these years?"

Of course, for those of us with a standing appointment Tuesday nights, one potential answer is obvious: He's living on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific, fishing, weaving, and spending the rest of his days saving the world by keeping a satanic smoke monster all bottled up.

No, that's not from Rashi. It's a reference to Lost, ABC's groundbreaking show about a plane that crashes on the wierdest, not-so-deserted island you could imagine, the keeper of which is an enigmatic, ancient but young-looking man named Jacob. That smoky ting? It turns out it's his twin brother -- meaning, like his biblical counterpart, "Lost" Jacob has serious sibling rivalry issues. And did we mention that the series is shaping up to be primarily about his search for a replacement? The leading candidate: a plane-cras survivor named...wait for it...Jack Shephard. (Jacob the shepherd, get it?)

Ok. Ok. It's a stretch. Yes, the creators of Lost clearly want us chewing on the biblical reference. But they have had us chewing on plenty of unrelated references since the beginning. With just one episode and the 2 1/2 hour finale Ma 23 left, by the time you read this, it sseems increasingly clear that they have no plans (thank goodness) to offer up a unifying theory for the show as an exact metaphor for some other literary or religious work. So why dwell on the Jacob thing? Because of the parallel holds - not so much between the two Jacobs themselves, but the experienc of pondering them.

For Losties (think Trekkies, but cooler), watching the show is an exercise in probing a mix of literary, religious and philosophical allusions, wrestling with existential and moral questions, and of course, enjoying great storytelling about compelling characters. It's not much different from studying Torah -an experience marked by depth, meaning and intrigue, once you ge the hang of it.

Don't believe me?

Next Tuesday night wll be the last one with a new episode of Lost (the finale is airing the following Sunday). An hour or two later, many synagogues will be marking the holiday of Shavuot with Torah study throughout the night.

What Jack wouldn't give for a sign like that. So - check out a shul near you. You're going to need something to do when Lost ends.

Latin

So - I know I have been behind on postings, but I wanted to make sure to post this.

The 'mother' of Jacob and the man-in-black and the real mother both spoke speaking Latin. According to other blogs, the cloting, style, and demeanor of the shipwreck survivors, et al, are from the period period between 300 BCE and 200 CE.

The 'others'/natives on the island are either these individuals - with unnatural long life - or their descendents.

Remember - as Juliet pointed out, all the 'Others' spoke Latin.

Upcoming Episodes

Hello everyone! Yes, I know I have to update...way past due...

But - I wanted to clear up when the next episodes will air, as there is a lot of confusion out there...

The last episodes are, and will air on:

Across the sea - May 11, 2010
What they died for - May 18, 2010
The end (parts I & II) - May 23, 2010

Sundown

Sayid walks up to a house...Nadia and her two children greet him...whose the proud papa? Sayid's brother, Omer. Omer gets a call. Meanwhile, Sayid tells Nadia that he got her letters, but didn't write back because...and Omer's back.

Later, Omer tells Sayid that he got a loan from someone to open another store and although he paid it off, the man is demanding "interest". Sayid ponies up some cash, but Omer says that what he needs is for Sayid to step in. Sayid refuses to do so.

The next morning, Sayid is putting the kids on the school bus. Nadia rushes out of the house, and I almost had a panic attack thinking that she was going to run into the middle of the street and get hit by another suv! But, no. She tells him that Omer's in the hospital. They head over there (Jack passes by).

Later, Nadia tells Sayid that she knows all about the money. She finds a picture of herself in Sayid's bag and confronts him as to why he's schlepping her image around. Sayid says that he hasn't gotten over all the horrible things he did and that he doesn't deserve her.

Sayid is picked up by some henchmen...who work for,....Keamy! Haven't seen him since he was in Wolverine. This is a great scene - Keamy is cooking eggs, and playing a great mafioso-type.

Long story short, Sayid kicks butt and takes names. He shoots everyone. Again. And then - hears screaming coming from the kitchen's walk-in freezer. It's...Jin?

Back on the island, Dogen tells Sayid that he was balanced the wrong way...that's why he tried to poison him. Still no idea why Dogen couldn't do it himself.

As Dogen and Sayid fight, and it's a heckuva fight, the baseball on Dogen's desk rolls off. Dogen stops, and tells Sayid to leave and never come back.

Locke sends Claire into the Temple with a Bushonian message - anyone who doesn't join Locke will be killed. Dogen refuses to leave the Temple. He has Claire thrown into a pit.

Dogen has Sayid bring a message to Locke - and gives him a dagger. He tells Sayid that Locke/evil incarnate/whatever has been trapped for years but is now free and that he won't stop until everything on the island is destroyed. Dogen says he should stab him in the chest before he has a chance to talk.

Kate heads back to the Temple.

Sayid stabs Locke, but not until Locke has time to say "Hello Sayid". Apprently, too late. Nothing happens. Locke tells Sayid that in essence, Dogen has manipulated Sayid. By stabbing Locke, Dogen wanted Locke to kill Sayid. One thing Sayid doesn't like = being manipulated.

Sayid agrees to deliver Locke's message to Dogen, but only after Locke promises him that he would be able to hold the woman who died in his arms again. To be honest, I am not even sure that this is a true motivating factor for Sayid. He, like Sawyer, is completely nihilistic. It's interesting that Locke offers everyone what they will have in the flash-sideways reality. They just won't have it in the exact way that they want it.

Kate finds Claire in the pit. Kate confirms to her that she took Aaron, and lets her know that she came back in order to rescue her and reunite them. Claire says to Kate - "I'm not the one who needs rescuing." ! A large group of Others follow Locke, including Cindy and the kids.

Sayid confronts Dogen. Dogen tells Sayid about how he was once a banker in Japan, and once after a promotion, his colleagues took him out and he had too much to drink, and later got into a car crash with his 12 year old son (who played baseball)...and his son didn't survive. He tells him that Jacob came to him in the hospital and made him an offer - he would bring Dogen's son back, but Dogen could never see him again.

Sayid then tackles Dogen, and ends up killing him and then Lennon.

Then - Smokey arrives! Smokey kills and kills, and when he's done with that, he kills. Kate take refuge hanging in the pit where Claire is. Miles barricades himself in a room, but the door is forced open by...Ilana, Frank, Ben, and Sun!

Ben goes to find Sayid. He meets up with him by the pool over the bodies of Dogen and Lennon. Sayid ain't coming. Miles asks Sun where Jin is...she's thrileld to hear that he's alive and nearby. Ilana finds the same doorway that Hurley used , and the group escapes.

Sayid, Claire, and Kate join Locke. Kate's a little amazed to see Locke, who as far as she knew was dead.

The Lighthouse

Not 100% in love with this episode. The on-island drama was definitely helpful for the development of the plot, however - the flash-sideways was heart-warming, but I don't feel it enhanced anything...

We see that Jack has a scar from the removal of his appendix. Jack doesn't remember having it removed, but calls his mother and she tells him that it was removed when he was a kid.

Jack then goes to a school and picks up...dum dum dum...his son! David is apparently annoyed with his father's pressure on him as much as Jack was annoyed with his own in the flashbacks.

Jack bawls at a couple of different points during the episode (is there ever a Jack-centric episode without significant tearing?). It is actually pretty moving that he realizes how he wants to be a father to his son, especially during their conversation after the recital, where Jack admits to his son that his focus for him is not success vs. failure, because as a child he was told by his father (Christian) that he didn't have what it takes. He tells David that in his eyes, David can never fail.

Moving.

Most interesting points - we don't know who David's mother is...Dogen is at the recital...Jack's father has died...in the will, he names Claire Littleton.

On the island - the pill...the whole fiasco is a bit drawn out, but it does make us try to guess at what exactly is Sayid now that he has been brought back to life. Is he evil? Is he crazy? Ben Linus was (presumably) brought back to life in the same manner. As was Claire. So - what gives?

Kate goes off on her own. Seen this movie before.

Let's skip to the good stuff. The lighthouse, which Hurley finds out about by talking to Jacob's ghost.

Hurley says that they have to move it to 108 degrees (which is 4+8+15+16+23+42). Jack makes it to 23, which has his name next to it.

I have tried - as have many - to decipher exactly what the numbers correspond to. At first, I thought they were the row numbers of the individuals on the plane who would be candidates. Well, that holds true for Jack, but Hurley's number is off, as is Locke's. So - not sure what it all means.

Jack sees his childhood home, and realizes that he has been spied on since he was a child, as have the other 5. Well - he goes a little...Jack...and busts up the Lighthouse mirror.

Jacob appears to Hurley and apologizes for misleading him. He says that Jack had to understand how important he truly is...Jack will do something and people like Jack need to 'look out at the ocean for a little while' before understanding that they have to do it. Jacob says that he had to get Jack and Hurley away from the Temple because a bad person is about to get there...and it's too late for Hurley to warn the people there.

It's interesting with Jacob and the MIB/Locke. Are they equals, polar opposites? Who/what are they?

As for Claire, she's cookoo for cocoa puffs.Claire has pretty much taken the place of Rousseau. She puts an axe into Justin, and shows Jin where the Others branded her. The only other time we have seen branding being used by the Others was with Juliet - she was marked when she was put on trial back in the episode "Stranger in a Strange Land'. That was a punishment, though...I think that this was more of a branding, i.e. - this woman is dangerous...a mark of Cain as it were, as opposed to a scarlet letter. She reveals to Jin who her friend is when he shows up, but admits to Jin that she knows its not John Locke.

A little bit worried that Claire now knows that Kate took Aaron...but - why didn't Jin say that Kate took Aaron to save him, or - why the hell did you leave Aaron in the forest?

The Substitute

Wow. What an amazing episode...

Island
Unbelievably great scene of the smoke monster flying across the island and then turning into Locke. Locke releases Richard and reveals to him that the reason he looks like Locke is because he knew that through Richard he could get access to Jacob, and that John was a candidate. This is where it gets confusing. Apparently, Richard has been doing everything that Jacob has instructed without knowing that it was to find a potential candidate (we'll discuss later what candidate means). However - Ilana, Bram, and the other members of their group used the word 'candidate' repeatedly, so why did Jacob share the overall vision/mission with them and not with Richard? Locke then sees a vision of a young blond boy, which Richard does not see. I am going to throw it out there that this young boy - is a young Jacob, at the age when he and 'the man in black' came to the island. Locke meets up with Sawyer, and tells him that he is indeed dead. Ilana wants to get the group to the Temple, and tells Sun that her husband, if alive, will be at the Temple.

Sawyer and Locke start walking out into the jungle, and see the young boy. The fact that Sawyer can see him comes as a surprise to Locke. So - why can Sawyer see him? Why can't Richard? The boy - Jacob - says to him "You know the rules...you can't kill him." - The rules. Hmm...I'm going to conjecture that Jacob and man in black are two guardians/security systems of the island. They replaced a man and a woman (Adam and Eve from the caves).

The boy shakes his head and walks away. Locke screams out "Don't tell me what I can't do!" Very cool for this smoke monster Locke to use John Locke's old mantra.

Richard comes out of the jungle, and tries to warn Sawyer away from going with 'Locke'. Sawyer does not pay heed. Sawyer and Locke walk along, and Sawyer references Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, where George takes Lenny out to a field and shoots him in the back of the head, then he pulls his gun on Locke.

Locke reveals to Sawyer that he is trapped on the island, and doesn't remember what it's like to be free. Umm...if this ends up being a six season version of the Star Trek episode "Power Play"...

They make their way to a cave on the side of a cliff - something we have never seen. They walk in, and John sees a white rock and a black rock on a scale. He takes the white rock and throws it out the window. (see below for black/white issues and references)

Long story short, Locke shows him the list that Jacob made on the wall with everyone's last names and a number beside them...and the majority of the numbers left are our numbers: 4, 8,15,16,23,42. Now - 4 is crossed out, as Locke is dead. The 42 is a bit ominous, because we don't know if it is Jin or Sun. My money's on Sun...

Pretty much...I thought that these are the rows they sat in on the Oceanic flight. Jack - 23. They may not be. Anna Lucia sat in row 42, not the Kwons...Hurley was in row 20. Locke was in 24. Hmm...


Flash sideways We start off with Locke being a victim...a prisoner to his wheelchair, again. He and Helen are getting married. Again, something else that never happened.

Helen rips up Jack's business card. Is it destiny that our Losties connect no matter what reality they are in? She then mentions that 'we should get her parents, and your dad, and do it shotgun style'. Whoa...so this means that Locke and his father are on good terms...the bomb truly reset everything from 1977 on.

Randy fires Locke, and reveals that Locke went to Australia for a convention, but went on the walkabout instead, and fires him.

John heads to his car, only to see that he is blocked in by...none other than Hurley's Hummer. Hurley is full of confidence, a bit slimmer, has impressive lambchops...looking good. By the way, there was a great line of Locke's: "You need to stay inside the lines". That kind of sums up the difference between the person that the island made Locke into and who Locke is at this point.

Locke's interview...priceless. "What kind of animal do you describe yourself as?" I would have looooooved if he would have said "Polar bear". And the supervisor is...Rose! It was heartwrenching to hear her speak about her cancer, and knowing that without the island, she will die, and Locke will remain in his chair. Note - she is wearing a wedding ring, but there's no indication at all as to whether she's married to Bernard.

Thoughts and conclusions We see that there are two forces at work on the island, and have been since day one. One force wants everyone off the island, one force wants to keep everyone on. The visions that the Losties have seen have all wanted to get everyone off the island. Almost all of the visions (with some exceptions) have been geared to breaking relationships, galvanizing people to action, etc. This is the smoke monster/whatever. The Others - 'we're the good guys' - have since day one been trying to keep people on the island.

Black and white: Not just the best cookies ever. 1) Locke shows Walt a black white backgammon pieces. 2) All dharma logos are black and white 3) We see a black rock and a white rock on Adam and Eve. Hmm... 4) Claire's dream: Locke has one black eye and one white one. 5) I'll just throw this out there. The Lost logo - the one that flies in at the beginning of each episode: white letters on a black background. At the end of the fifth season, the bomb goes off, and then the end logo comes up...black letters on a white background. Easter egg??

Best moment of the show: Frank Lapides "This is the weirdest funeral I have ever been to."

What Kate Does

What Kate does...I am going to separate my comments between island and flash-sideways, for the sake of continuity and flow.


Island
We start with Sayid regaining consciousness in the Temple, and Sayid telling Kate that he plans on running. I have to say, this plot function is getting a bit old...I've seen this movie before.

We see that Sayid's wound is closed. Therefore, the waters of the island have healing powers. We have seen before that the island has healing powers - i.e. Rose and John. Is it super-concentrated in the water?

Sawyer gets a gun, and decides to leave. He has become the ultimate nihilist. He instructs Kate not to come after him. Gee...what will happen...this is What Kate Does...she doesn't listen.

Dogen has Sayid strapped down in a manner that reminds us first of Danielle Rousseau having strapped Sayid down in the first season, but also it looks a bit like the torture scene from The Princess Bride.

Dogen blows a bit of the mysterious dust over Sayid - the dust that is supposed to repel Smokey. Nothing happens. Dogen straps electrodes to Sayid's chest, and starts a-crankin. A very poignant moment - Sayid the torturer looks at Dogen and asks "why are you doing this?"

He takes a hot branding iron and seemingly disinfects the wound. Lennon, the hippie tells Sayid that it was a test.

Note - there is a baseball on his desk...this has got to be a tribute to Deep Space Nine, as Benjamin Sisko famously had a baseball on his desk!

Jin and Kate go out into the forest with two Others, looking for Sawyer. Aldo admonishes Justin when Justin is about to tell Jin and Kate about the Ajira flight. He admonishes Justin again when he is about to tell him about Rousseau being dead for years. Aldo then reminds Kate that she knocked him out when she escaped from the Others' camp. She takes the opportunity to do it again.

Sayid is brought back to Jack, Hurley, et al. He tells them that they tortured him. Why? "I don't know. They didn't even ask me any questions." Absolute definite reference to Empire Strikes Back, when Han Solo is returned from his interrogation session.

Dogen and Lennon tell Jack that Sayid is infected, and that he has to give him a pill, because Sayid needs to take it willingly.

Jack tells this all to Sayid. Sayid says he implicitly trusts him, and so if he wants him to do it, he would.

Kate finds Sawyer in his old bungelow on the Others' kibbutz. She admits to Sawyer that her purpose for coming back was to find Claire. He admits to her that he wants to be alone.

Jack confronts Dogen and Lennon. They tell him that they believe Sayid has been claimed, as has his sister - Claire.

Aldo and Justin confront Jin, but are shot and killed...by Claire! Dum dum dumm....


Flash-sideways
Kate gets into the cab with Claire. The cab driver, it should be noted, is David H. Lawrence, who portrayed Doyle on Heroes. They get delayed by a clumsy Dr. Arzt (have I mentioned before how funny it is that Arzt is German for 'doctor'? So, Dr. Doctor...can't you see I'm burning, burning...Thompson Twins? Anyone?

Kate ditches Claire, and later realizes she has Claire's baby items. She feels intense guilt, and decides to get the baby items back to Claire. This plays very well on the connection that Kate has to Aaron.

Kate takes Claire to the birth parents that she was going to give the baby to, and there finds out that the potential adoptive parents have split up, and the mother doesn't want the baby anymore. Kate goes with Claire to the hospital, where her obstetrician is Ethan Rom, aka 'Dr. Goodspeed'.

Love it!

Thoughts and conclusions
Well, we now know for sure that the bomb going off in 1977 drastically altered the timeline. With the bomb going off, and the Others leaving the island, there is no recruiting of other "Others" to come to the island, hence Ethan is never on the island. Neither is Juliet, etc. However - the lives of everyone are still intertwined.

Regarding Sayid and the infection, this would be the same 'infection' that infected Rousseau's colleagues. This is why she kept talking about the sickness. What does it mean that Claire is infected? Tbd...

Lost Reduced - to 10 minutes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eJ3IC0Rkw0

LA X Parts I and II - First Impressions

Wow. What a way to kick off season 6 - completely throw off every expectation...

There are some revelations:

1) Richard Alpert was a prisoner on the Black Rock

2) Whoever/whatever Locke is - is also the monster, and probably also the 'man in black'

3) The monster/man in black/whatever was also on the ship with Richard

4) The island's mysterious healing power is super-concentrated in the springwater. This is probably how Richard also saved the life of a young Ben Linus. However - Ben had memory loss that Richard apparently filled in...what will be with Sayid?

Questions:

1) What is the ash, and why does the monster respond to it as though it were a barrier?

2) Why was Desmond on and then off the plane?

3) Who is this fella from Japan?

4) Was an alternate reality really created?

5) Why was the island underwater when Oceanic flew overhead?

Overall first impressions:

1) Great to see everyone we saw on the plane...Charlie, Claire, Boone, Frogurt. We still need to see others like Shannon, Anna Lucia, Libby, and Mr. Eko. Paolo and Nikki, anyone?

2) For crying out loud...it's the last season and Jack gets set up for having to deal with having caused Juliet's death, et al? Although - it does set Jack and John up similarly...both failed to achieve their 'destinies'/aims, so - will Jack end his own life? Will Ben help out?

3) Awesome to see Hurley come into his own.

4) Why didn't anyone take any action re: monster taking Richard?

5) Great to see the group that shlepped to the Temple so long ago. Great to see the kids and the stewardess.

More to come...

The Incident

This is a heck of a jam-packed episode, with multiple timelines. But what a finale...

We start off with a scene of a man working on a loom, from behind, in a hieroglyphics ladened room. There is a tapestry that he seems to be creating, that has possibly Greek letters at the top, and beneath them what look like to bird's wings spread out, with the Eye of Horus in the middle, with rays coming out of that eye.

I did some looking up on various Lost sites, and the Greek letters translate to a verse from The Odyssey: "may the gods grant thee all that thy heart desires". Note - later on in the episode, we will get to see the full complete tapestry. There is another line there: "Only the dead have seen the end of war."

Each of the rays is a hand, reaching out for nine individuals. There are two lords in the corners, observing. Hmmm...

This man then is seen out on the beach, cleaning a fish, and there is a ship coming towards the island - The Black Rock!!!

A man comes and sits down next to the first man. The first man is dressed in white, this one in black. The man in black insinuates that Jacob brought the people on the boat here, in order to prove the man in black wrong.

Black: They come, fight, destroy, they corrupt, it's always the same."

White: It only ends once. Anything that happens before that - just progress.

Black: You have any idea how badly I want to kill you?

White: Yes.

Black: One of these days, sooner or later, I'm going to find a loophole, my friend.

White: Well, when you do - I'll be right here.

Black: Always nice talking to you Jacob.

White: Nice talking to you too.

IT'S JACOB!! We finally get to see him. But - who is this man in black? Plus - we now get to see the full statue. It is Tawaret, the Egyptian goddess.

Cut to Kate as a kid, with her friend Tommy, stealing the same New Kids on the Block lunch box that they would later bury as a time capsule. Many years later, they would dig it up. Jacob appears, pays for the lunchbox, and tells Kate not to steal in the future. He enables Kate to have the lunchbox and the memories of childhood, which help her to set out upon her destiny.

Back to the sub. Kate tells Sawyer and Juliet that Jack is going to detonate the bomb, and that they have to stop him. Why? What the heck is Kate's deal? Why does she want to screw everything up for everyone? Why didn't she recruit other people to help her? Why get captured, and screw up Sawyer and Juliet's shot at a normal life? Oh, Kate...

Apparently, Farraday had instructions in his book for removing the core. Why? Because for plot purposes, continuity they can't physically shlep the massive bomb, so this is how they are going to do it.

Thirty years later, Ben tells Sun that the leader - now John - answers to Jacob, and tells her that he has never met him.

Richard asks Locke about how he was able to overcome death. He says, " I have been here for a long time, and I have seen things on this island I could barely describe, but I have never seen someone come back to life."

- Well, what exactly did he do with Ben? Ben was shot, and barely alive. He then was taken by Richard into the Temple, and then Ben is re-born, with little memory of his being shot, etc.

Locke says "I've never seen someone who doesn't age." Alpert replies - "I'm this way because of Jacob."

Locke tells Richard that he's doing this (going to the Temple) so he can thank Jacob. It is not like Locke to be so bold and thinking so strategically as to be able to prepare different stories for Sun, Ben, and Richard.

The Ajira people pull up with their canoe and a crate from the plane, with Frank Lapidus in tow.

Bram: Why did we even bring this yahoo?

Ilana: Because, we might need him.

Bram: For what? He didn't know that answer to the question.

Ilana: That doesn't mean he's not important.

Bram: What, you think he's a candidate?

Note - 1) the question is 'what lies under the statue? This is the same question they asked Myles off the island. 2) important - that's the way Richard, et al, refer to Locke.

They show him what is in the crate. He takes a peek, and says - terrific. What is it?

Cut to a double funeral - that of (James) Sawyer's parents. Low and behold, there's Jacob. He gives Sawyer a pen which he uses to write his letter to Mr. Sawyer. He enables him to establish his destiny.

Back on the sub, Sawyer, Juliet, and Kate commandeer the ship and surface the ship. They head back to the island in a raft. Why not just shlep the sub back, which would only take a few minutes? Hmm...

Locke speaks to Ben, and asks him why he hasn't told Richard about Locke's plan to kill Jacob. Ben reveals to Locke that his dead daughter instructed him in the Temple to do everything that Locke said. Locke then reveals to Ben that Ben is going to kill Jacob. Wow.

A busy street - Sayid and Nadia cross the street. Jacob stops Sayid and asks him for directions, thus saving him from getting hit by the suv that slams into Nadia. Jacob could have easily saved Nadia as well, but he didn't. This enabled Sayid to then work for Ben, which indirectly enabled him to return to the island.

Back in the tunnels, they bust through a wall, and low and behold - it's a Dharma house. Eloise goes first, but then Richard hits her in the head, and says that he's protecting their leader - confirming that Eloise is the leader. Jack and Sayid will go on alone.

But - Richard Linus recognizes Sayid as the guy who shot his son, and shoots him (how many times has Sayid been shot now, anyway?). They are pretty much pinned down until Hurley shows up with the van (and Jin and Myles) and saves the day, again.

(More to come)

Follow the Leader

After a long absence...I'm back! Finishing up season 5 reviews in advance of the season 6 premiere. We start with Farraday pointing the gun at Richard. Kate and Jack are captured by Charles Widmore. Eloise shoots Daniel. She picks up his book, and truly realizes what she has done. From the way she is acting and giving orders, it is clear that Eloise is 'the leader'.

Cut to thirty years earlier. John Locke arrives at the beach with a boar he's killed. He greets Richard. Richard immediately notices something different about Locke. Ben reveals to Sun that Richard Alpert is a kind of adviser to the leader, now John Locke, and that Richard has held the position for a very very long time. Could this be because he was on the "Black Rock"?

Sun queries Richard about the people in the picture, i.e. Jack, Kate, & Hugo, so she can find out about her husband. He says that he remembers them from 1977, because he watched them all die.

From the interactions between Locke and Ben, we can clearly see that the roles have somewhat reversed. Locke seems to be in charge or at least strategizing three steps ahead, while Ben is reactive.

Back to the tent: Jack convinces Eloise that if they detonate the bomb, her son will never have come back and she will (would) never have shot him. Eloise drops the bomb (forgive me) that the bomb is buried under neath Dharmaville/New Otherton/The Kibbutz.

Sawyer and Juliet get interrogated and beat up. Dr. Chang follows Hurley and meets up with Hurley, Myles, and Jin.

Dr. Chang: Your friend Farraday said that you were from the future. I need to know if he was telling the truth.

Hurley: Dude, that's ridiculous.

Dr. Chang: What year were you born?

Hurley: Uh...1931.

Dr. Chang: You're 46?

Hurley: Yeah...yes I am.

Dr. Chang: So you fought in the Korean War...?

Hurley: There's...no such thing...

Dr. Chang: Who's the President of the United States?

Hurley: Allright dude, we're from the future.

Dr. Chang then confirms that Myles is his son.

Eloise tells Richard that he is coming with her. The fact that she is giving orders to Richard only confirms that she is the leader.

Back to the future...Locke tells Richard he wants to go see Jacob. Seems to be pretty insistent. They go over to where the plane is. Richard and Ben seem to have no idea about it.

John then instructs Richard to tell Locke that he has to get everyone back to the island, and in order to do that, he is going to have to die. So - Locke is masterminding his own death!

Locke confronts Ben and insinuates that he has never seen Jacob. Hmm...

Eloise and her people have Jack and Kate at gunpoint, then Sayid comes and saves the day. They talk it out, and Kate correctly points out that Jack is starting to sound a lot like Locke. She bails and heads back to the Kibbutz. Sawyer and Juliet get into the sub. There's no way that this is the last they'll see of the island.

Back to Jack - he, Richard, and Eloise head into the pond and into teh tunnel that will take them to the bomb. They are back in the Temple. Lots of hieroglyphs. Sayid joins them. They get started in moving Jughead.

Jon tells the group that he is going to see Jacob, and he wants everyone to come with him. It's interesting that we don't see any of the 815 passengers among the group. Also - and this is just an aside - we have not seen anything of a young Bea Klugh.

The sub - Kate is brought down, handcuffed. Can anyone say - third wheel? Prediction - Kate will, with all the best intentions, screw something up.

Walking to Jacob's - and...Locke reveals to Ben that he is going to kill Jacob. AND - boom goes the dynamite!

Why would Locke want to kill Jacob? What is Jacob? Can he be 'killed'?

Stay tuned...