"What Kate Does"

I wonder if this'll be one of those episodes that becomes much more important months later, when we realize how much it set up. It certainly set up what might be the monster-Locke's weapon of choice in coming weeks - infecting the survivors, a la Claire, Sayid and Rousseau's people, so they can help him "go home" There were probably some limits on how he could do that while Jacob was around- though he didn't seem to mind him infecting Claire and Rousseau's team. Now that he's gone, Smokey clearly has more power to infect and corrupt everyone for his end game/escape.

But it was Jacob's idea for them to take Sayid to the Temple in the first place- so shouldn't Jacob have known that Sayid would be "claimed" in the spring now that he was dead? Or maybe that's what he wanted somehow- though I'm now hearing theories that the Jacob who talked to Hurley was really MIB. But even he couldn't do that and be in the statue at the same time- right?

Is it me, or did Jack show a bit of brain power when going up against Dogen? While Sawyer's shame spiral is making him abandon everyone, Jack's shame is making him actually ask questions and not fall for Other tricks. Bit of an uneven distribution in shame spiral power.

I wouldn't attribute the backlash on this one to Kate-hate - not all of it. Its probably due to more doubts about whether the flash-sideways stuff will work - though Kate isn't exactly the best first test subject - and how we still have so many annoyingly cryptic statements from the Others, even in S6. And of course, because they're still focusing on the wrong characters, while the real stars are either stuck with Jack's band[Hurley and Sawyer]or get stuck in mere subplots and/or don't show up[you know which three stars I mean there]

But next Tuesday, that's finally going to change- so it'll be funny to see everyone who slams Lost this week go back to worshipping it next week, as if nothing happened. If they somehow screw next week up, then we can panic about S6.

Claire returned after being MIA for three years. ALTethan passed through and that was fun. He is still scary as all get out but will he get together with ALTclaire?

Did we see the death of THE TRIANGLE? Jack made his intentions clear. Sawyer left the Temple to grieve Juliet (glad to see that-their relationship earned it). Kate followed and got told to take herself and her winsome ways and go. Back to Jack hopefully. Josh's tearing eyes as he threw the ring into the river ala Desmond --how he has grown as an actor!

Sayid got a taste of his own medicine! And they said the island wasn't purgatory. In much the same way as Rousseau tortured him too. I hope Sayid is one of the early casualties we know must be coming. Rousseau, of course, also introduced us to THE sickness.

Did we find out what the sickness is? Not that I understand what being claimed or having a growing darkness means. In part I guess it means you can't die unless you voluntarily swallow the magic herbal death pill.

Jack and Dogan actually talked to each other! But Dogan still knows more and I think Jack will get it out of him next week.

I liked the ALTkate stuff too. She found Claire, fulfilling her reason for coming back to the island.

Not a fan of this epi at all. The only redeeming bit was Sawyer's pain. Man, that guy has turned into a first class actor. He actually made me cry.

Ethan was definitely a surprise!! I wonder if he is still an island Other in this alternate universe? Is he working for Ben?

Did anybody else get Hurley's zombie reference??? If you listen to the official Lost podcasts, Darlton have a running joke about Season 7 being the Zombie Season!

That's exactly what I was thinking when Sayid was being electocuted and when Sawyer threw the ring into the water.
Sawyer was great, really felt his pain but was also thinking he might go back to how he used to be which would be a shame coz he's come such a long way which I really noticed when I rewatched S1 last year and thought Wow he was a real jerk but now I really like his character. ;D

Well, of course no one can one Ben. And even some entertainment media sites talked about how an ep just doesn't crank as it does when we get some Ben and Smocke. And I think we'll get a good dose, but I still stand by my No. 7 rating.