All my favorites all rolled up in one episode.  Desmond centric (I knew right there it was going to be good).  Charlie, Charlie and more Charlie!  And Daniel!  So far all the Des centric episodes have ranked up as my favorite TV of all time and this week did not disappoint.

1.  We didn’t need a “previously on Lost” this week because Des hasn’t been around yet this season.  But we did get the eye opening.

2.  Isn’t Liz Lemmon Zoe a geophysicist?  Why is she in charge of the meds for Desmond?

3.  If Ben shot Desmond then could he be working with Flocke?  Was he trying to stop Desmond because he knew that Des would come back to help stop Flocke and be used by Widmore?  It would also explain why Ben killed Locke, because he knew MIB needed his body.

4.  We get to see behind the scenes on Hydra.  But they didn’t just build this generator/time machine overnight so they must have been preparing for a long time much like when they were building the airstrip.

5.  I loved the lip twitch when Widmore tells Desmond that he’s back on the island.  Now THAT is acting!

6.  What sacrifice did Desmond make?  Did he leave his consciousness back in the new timeline and that is why he’s so docile once he gets back?

7.  Desmond is touching or interacting with each of the Losties much like Jacob did with them.  But, if the candidates are different this time it could explain why the numbers are different in the new time line (as they correspond with the candidates for this time line).  You will see that Hurley’s lottery numbers are different and thus I think that we have different candidates here.

8.  Looks like Minkowski is playing the same role the Creepy Eyed Man played in the old time line.  He’s driving people where they need to go.

9.  Nice scales in Widmore’s painting.  White and Black rocks, just like in MIB’s cave.

10.  Is Des going to have to take another sail boat trip? He was admiring the sail boat in his office – red herring or things to come?

11.  I was confused.  Charlie is NOT Widmore’s son.  I watched the scene back and Widmore wants Charlie bailed out because, he says, he needs him to come and play with Daniel at the event.  I love that Dan is now a musician, instead of a physicist.  I LOVE that Widmore is sending him right to Charlie so that Charlie can help him “feel it” or see what he needs to do.

12.  MacCutcheon whiskey.  Now Des can finally drink it. AND toasting his “indespensibility.”

13.  Interesting that Charlie can just walk across the street without getting hit. Much like how Michael couldn’t kill himself either and Jack couldn’t get the dynamite to explode.

14.  Reflection, full body, in the courthouse door of Desmond.

15. Charlie says “Spectacular, conscious-altering love.”  How apropos for this episode.

16.  Charlie sees Claire when he’s dead?

17.  I guess if you are going to get Des to do what you want then love would be the card to play.  However Widmore set this up he was right to use love and Penny to get Des to see or “feel” whatever he needs him to do.

18.  Choices – Des tells Charlie that there is always a choice. Then Charlie has to nearly drown (again) for Desmond to see what he’s talking about.  I really didn’t need to see drowning Charlie again as that scene will haunt me forever.  But we got the point brother!

19.  So there were guys walking around the pier and none of them jumped in or ran over to help?

20.  I thought for sure Des was going to go back to the island during the MRI since they were asking him the same questions and it’s magnetic energy.   But he did take quite the crazy brain ride!  Let me just say that it’s crazy and insane how the writers come up with these scenes.  To think this stuff up is genius!

21.  Whatever Charlie knows Desmond figures out by the end.  None of “this” matters.  No one in the hospital can help him.

22.  Eloise is surprised to see Des.  Probably because they are running at least a day ahead (according to what Zoe said to Widmore about not having the generator ready).  Widmore probably sends Desmond to Eloise to let her know whatever plan is taking shape here is going forward.  She tries to give him a similar warning as she did in the past.  What violation is he committing?  It’s almost as if she’s working on MIB’s side by trying to stop him.

23.  Nice Dan reflection – his was the first one where we couldn’t actually see him but only a black shadow.

24.  What is up with all these guys in love?  Dan talks about Charlotte (and I love that she’s eating a chocolate bar).  Then Dan wakes up and draws his advanced equations.  What if Des has to set off a nuclear bomb in the new time line to stop MIB and put things back they way they should be in the original time line?  That’s why Dan is back as he is COURSE CORRECTING!  In the new time line the MIB is free and roaming the earth and Des has to set off the bomb to stop him and put things back the way they should be.

25.  I was expecting Des to meet Jack again in the stands.

26.  I can believe a lot of things on this island but if you are a woman in a huge stadium running and some guy comes up to you would you shake his hand?  Would you go to coffee with him right after meeting him?

27.  And he touches Penny.

28.  Widmore had to know that Des was going to be taken.  Why else would he send Des out where he could get nabbed? And Des must know it’s OK to go with Sayid.  Maybe because Des left behind his consciousness in the new time line.  He’s now started on his mission.  His sacrifice is to leave Penny and Charlie behind in the old time line but he can begin again in the new time line.  If that is true and new time line is a good place then Desmond can show the Losties that Dan’s plan and Juliet’s sacrifice were both worth it.  why else would he need the manifest?  Or maybe he needs the manifest to find the new “candidates.”

29.  Sayid must have some decency in him as he tells Zoe to run instead of just killing her.

30.  Just had another thought.  Regarding the title – des finds his happily ever after in the new time line?  charlie found his in the old time line?

Naomi had a picture of Desmond when she first parachuted to the island.  Widmore hired Naomi and the others to go to the island.  We assumed then that their primary mission was to kill Ben.  Yes, killing Ben was one of their goals.  Widmore had access, probably through Mrs Hawkings, to know that Ben would kill Jacob and therefore had to be stopped.  However, Widmore’s second mission in sending the freighter was to get Desmond and use him for (insert next week’s episode).  So…. it explains why Naomi had that picture of Desmond as the was her second goal on the island.
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1.  The island is not done with Jin.  We have seen (ex; Michael) that you cannot die if the island still has a plan for you.  Now I now how Jin really survived the freighter blowing up.  He still has something to accomplish.

2.  Is it really a surprise that the airport was going to confiscate the cash?  I don’t know the regulations for flying with that kind of cash (I’ve only had to check on liquids) but I can’t imagine that Sun’s dad didn’t know that carrying that kind of cash was against the rules.  He also knew about Sun’s secret bank account, which he closed.  He really set Jin up!

3.  Just because Sayid can’t feel anything doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what is going on.  He still has the capability of making choices.  I’m still holding out that Sayid will make the right choice when it comes to doing bad things to the Losties.
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4.  Flocke talked to Sun and she still wasn’t influenced by him.  Or is it just that you can’t let them talk to you if you plan on killing them?

5.  Further proof that Sun is now straddling time lines – as she’s running away from Locke and approaching the tree that she ultimately hits they are playing the sounds the segues from one time to another and right as she hits in Sun in the new time line opens her eyes.  It reminds me of when the hatch imploded and Desmond flashed to his past.  Not a normal transition.
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6.   Here is Sun’s mirror shot.  Going back and watching this it seems like she’s having  a “Jack” moment, like she almost knows that she’s in two worlds.
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7.  When Flocke comes back to his camp and finds them all passed out he goes to Sayid first.  He’s obviously important to Flocke’s plan but Flocke will kill Sayid just like any of them as soon as he’s done with them.

8.  Some new characters come along and fit so well into the story that I hate to see them go (Faraday).  But Zoe aka Liz Lemon really needs to go.  She’s not a great actress to begin with and her character just doesn’t fit into the story.  Perhaps if there was a different actress I would be buying it but as far as I’m concerned they can bury her alive any time now and give us more Widmore screen time instead.
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9.  Liz/Zoe asks Jin about the pockets of energy diagrammed on the map.  I think they are going to harness the energy to stop Flocke.
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10.  When Keamy is asking to get the translator there he calls him “Danny’s friend.”  Could he be referring to Dan Faraday!?

11.  And speaking of Keamy, here is a good example of a new character (yes, I know he was around before) who is welcome because he fits so seamlessly into the story.  Not to mention that this guy is either really evil in real life or he’s one heck of a great actor.
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12.  This seems like a heck of a lot of equipment to be hauling in a sub.  Anyone out there know how much space there is on a sub to haul large equipment like this?  And how did they get it out?
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13.  I think that MIB is not only using himself as a distraction so that Sayid can sneak up but I also think that he’s there to check out what kind of security and defense Widmore has going on.  Just like when Bram surrounded himself with ash in the temple and Smokey found a way to get him, he will also find his way around this.

14.  Outside of seeing Desmond (yeah!) this was my favorite scenes.  Flocke versus Widmore.  Bring it on!
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15.  Flocke says, “A wise man once said that a war was coming to this island.”  If memory serves, Widmore is the one that said that.  How does he know that?  So far it seems like all the big players are on Team Jacob.

16.  It was weird seeing Patchy/Makail being so helpful.  I don’t think that he would have hurt Jin either.
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17.  Sounds to me like Widmore is upset with Zoe because she blew their cover.  He says that she should have waited and taken Jin in the jungle.  I can only think that is because taking him from the camp really exposed what they were up to in taking Jin.

18.  There are two weird things about this picture.  First, why is the sign in English?  Second, there is a very large amount of space to the right.  Almost looks like a photoshop.
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19.  I was really moved by Jin’s reaction in looking at these pictures.  I would really love to see Sun and Jin get together and then find a way off the island to be with their daughter.  Ben used to travel back and forth.  Maybe they can use his route.

20.  Interesting that Flocke is using Sayid because of his total lack of emotions and Widmore is using Jin by bring forth all sorts of strong emotions.

21.  Widmore says if Flocke gets off the island everyone would simply “cease to be.”  Meaning…?  That they would cease to be in an emotional sense (ie; the sickness) or the world would literally end?  They might be about to find out in the alternative time line.

22.  If Sun had not left the island then she would not have had her baby.  The baby was not meant to be.  Sun very well, therefore, lose the baby in the alternative time line.  Seems like those with babies lose them and those with no children now have them.

23.  How is it that people can miraculously heal on the island but fruit cannot grow and dies?  Guess it’s not a Garden of Eden there.

24.  I don’t think Jack plans on leaving the island.  He promises to get Sun and Jin on the plane but doesn’t say “us,”  he only says “you.”

25.  Interesting that Saywer tells Kate that it looked like her brain “took a little stroll.”  If they end up like Charlotte all of their brains will be strolling.

26.  Desmond!
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I have to admit I came in this week not expecting much.  The past Jin and Sun episodes have been kind of slow but when they mixed in a little Widmore versus Flocke and a surprise Desmond at the end then I’ll take it!  I do just have to say that I was not surprised to see that Desmond was the “package” (see my post last week).  But dang am I glad to see him!

1.  Sawyer offers Kate “pretend” cocoa.  Very reminiscent of Charlie’s peanut butter he offered to Claire.

2.  Flocke asks Jin about his leg.  The real Locke knew a thing or two about injured legs.

3.  Jin gets to ask the question we all want to know, which Kwon is the candidate.  Of course Flocke lies and tells him he doesn’t know.

4.  I found it interesting that he has to get all the candidates together in order to get off of the island.  Similarly, all the candidates had to be together to create the perfect storm when they were trying to get BACK to the island as well.  I hope that they all end up back on the “good” side but from what I’ve read Sayid is gone forever in island time so unless he dies I don’t know how they can recruit him.  However, he did say he doesn’t feel anything but it doesn’t mean that Sayid doesn’t know what he’s doing and can’t still make choices.

5.  Sun was trying to pull money out of the bank that was really going to be used to kill Jin and she didn’t even know it.  Guess her daddy issues haven’t gone away in the new time line.  In the original time line Jin was also supposed to deliver a watch.  I wonder what that was about.

6.  Jin’s room is 842.

7.  The last time we saw poison darts the Others were trying  to take Kate and those guys.  They have really good aim!

8.  I love that Ilana has complete faith in Jacob and the island.

9.  Nice to see Sun back in her garden but how interesting that she lied about them being dead.

10.  Sun let Flocke speak to her yet she managed to resist his temptation.  He also tried to touch her but she resisted.  This girl might still have a chance.  I was very glad to see that not everyone gives in to the offers made to them by either guy.  I do think that Flocke said one thing that was true, he can’t make anyone do anything that they don’t want to do otherwise he could have just grabbed her after she knocked herself out.

11.  Jin wakes up in the same room that Karl was being experimented on.  Room 23.  They were really doing bad things to Karl.  I need to go back and find the images because I remember there was one about Jacob.

12.  Jin was making the maps back in 1977.  He was scouting around the island making maps for the Dharma Initiative.  Here is my theory of why they need him and his expertise on the pockets of electromagnetism.  Smokey is held on the island by the magnetism.  Whatever created him was a product of this energy.  The button pushing every 108 minutes not only kept the electromagnetism at bay but it also helped to keep Smokey tied to the island.  I think this is because he’s tied by chains and those chains are partially held there by the magnetism.  Maybe they need to somehow lasso this energy back to keep Smokey chained on the island.  Jin knows where these pockets are.

13.  Flocke basically tells Claire that once they are on the plane she can kill Kate.  Not that any of us are surprised by that.  He will probably kill all of them once he gets what he wants.

14.  Flocke lied to Claire because her name is on the wall (even if it’s crossed off) and Kate’s name is also on that wall.  Still think he’s a good guy because I sure don’t!

15.  How cool to see Patchy again.  He doesn’t seem to be nearly the bastard that he was on the island.  Keemy makes him look like Mr Rogers.  Did you see that Jin shoots him in the eye?

16.  I’m wondering if Sun’s head injury somehow allows her to straddle the two time lines without knowing it.  In the new time line she never learned English.

17.  The scene with Flocke and Widmore was excellent but left me wanting SO MUCH MORE!  Seeing these two power houses coming together was amazing.  I think that the point of Flocke coming himself was to distract Widmore so Sayid could swim up near the sub.

18.  Flocke needs someone to fly that plane so he will need to recruit Frank.  But it doesn’t seem like Frank has much for him to entice him with.

19. My biggest disappointment this week is that Jin and Sun are still apart.  Enough already!!!!

20.  Widmore knows exactly how to get Jin to cooperate with him – show him the baby pictures.  Smart move.  He plays on Jin’s heart strings to convince him to help keep Smokey on the island.

21.  I still can’t help but think that Jin understands English.  When Keemy tells him that he told Sun’s dad about them Jin sure seems to understand.

22.  I also don’t think that Widmore is on the island just to stop MIB.  At one point he wanted to be the man in charge and was pretty po’d that he had to leave.  I’m sure he wants to regain his position there.

23.  Sayid makes Jin free himself.  A common theme it seems – making someone trapped free themselves.

24.  Sun is preggo.  She can’t be very far along so if she dies the baby will die.  It’s not like she can deliver early and Jin raise her alone.  Jack will probably save her in the hospital or Ethan since he’s a baby doctor.

25.  Jack sure makes a big promise to Sun about Jin.  The writing thing could get pretty annoying but they have to be able to let her communicate.  But shouldn’t she write a bit smaller on that pad?

26.  YEAH for Desmond being back!  But BOO for what that means for Penny and little Charlie.  I don’t think that we have enough info yet to know what Widmore is going to use him for (obviously it’s to stop Smokey).  But next week is centered on him and they have always been great episodes.  MIB doesn’t like surprises but I bet he’s in for a real shocker when he finds out Desmond is there.

27.  One last thought – if next week’s previews are really scenes from next week then Jin and Sun are going to reunite.  But it’s impossible to tell because they were showing all sorts of old footage.

NOT HELL!

When Richard first said this I was saying “NO! They promised this was NOT the answer!”  And true to their word, they are not in hell.

1.  Does Richard represent us, the viewer?  He was ready to give up after thinking he was duped into devoting his life to a purpose.  Now even I don’t devote my “life” to Lost but I have given a lot of hours to the show and would be very upset if I found out it all wasn’t happening for a reason.  We are the disciples of the show, going out and spreading the word if you will.  However, I don’t think that I could be a candidate to replace Darlton.  I know that “Gitsie Girl” isn’t etched on that list.  Perhaps your name is?

2.  Clever eye opening but we’ve seen this one before.

3.  Sun is the candidate.  I want to believe that is true and the definitive  answer but we’ve all watched this show long enough to know that she may “think” she’s the candidate but in reality it’s Jin, or them both, or their daughter!

4.  Richard will know what to do next.  Like Jacob said earlier, you can’t just give people answers.  Richard has to figure out what to do next.

5.  Best line of the night when Ben tells Jack, “If it’s any consolation, it’s not exactly Locke.”

6.  Richard’s bible was turned to Luke 4;37 but looks like he was reading starting at passage 25.  I’ll get a screenshot of this.

7.  Richard’s priest in prison is like Claire’s psychic.  They are both manipulating them.  The priest won’t forgive Richard because he can sell him as a slave instead.  When given the choice of the ship versus being hung of course he’s going to chose the ship.  Both Richard and Claire were conned.  I think they blindfolded Richard so he wouldn’t see that there wasn’t a noose prepared for him at all.

8.  Mr Whitfield bought Richard.  Very close to “Widmore.”  And Magnus HANSO funded the voyage to the new land.  Guess Hanso has known about this island a very, very long time.

9.  In order for the ship to hit the statue the island must have been flooded.  In fact, they hit the head of the statue and pushed the boat inland.  Remember in the beginning of this season the island was flooded.  Guess that means the island isn’t necessarily going to stay underwater for very long.

10.  Looks like the crew members on the Black Rock contracted the same “sickness” that got Danielle’s crew and Sayid.  The Captain kills the slaves just like Danielle was killing her crew.

11.  Was that THE coolest scene when Smokey shows up at the boat the first time?

12.  Richard was “judged” by Smokey.  I guess Jacob isn’t the only one looking for a candidate.

13.  Is that a moth that flies into the Black Rock when Richard is trying to free himself?  Then it rains, giving him drinking water.  Could that be a trick Jacob uses to check things out (shape shifting) just like Smokey (well, minus the killing part)?  Plus I say moth because it reminds me of Locke’s moth story from Season One to Charlie.

14.  Boars.  Sawyer had a boar chasing him for awhile.  But ew, they were eating the dead.

15.  I think that Smokey “read” the vision of Isabella from Richard’s mind.  Seems like Smokey can only take the shape of the dead bodies that aren’t buried.  Why else would she be in the outfit he last saw her in?  The MIB sure is a good liar though.  He found what Richard “really” wanted and used that to get him on his side.  Just like he promised Sayid that he would reunite him with Nadia even though she is dead too.

16.  MIB touched Richard first.  Jacob touches him later.  Seems significant.

17.  MIB tells Richard that he is a “friend.”  Probably what he told Claire too since she says he’s her friend. MIB also tells Richard the same thing about not letting Jacob talk first.  Makes you wonder if their voice has some type of “Matrix” power that messes with their mind and what they see and/or believe.

18. Familiar line, “It’s good to see you out of those chains.”  Same thing MIB said to Richard when he saw him for the first time in Not-Locke’s body.

19.  Jacob is a bad a*s this episode.  He’s beating on Richard then “baptizes” him in the ocean.  He is much more angry then we seem him in present time.

20.  Jacob is like a vampire or I guess it would be the opposite since no one can come in his house without being invited.

21.  Now we understand why Jacob wants to keep MIB on the island, to contain the darkness that would spread.  Why does this darkness spread to some people on the island but not others?  Or, will it eventually overtake them all since it’s our nature to sin?  But Jacob boils it down to our choice.  We have the choice to do the right thing.  He shouldn’t have to force people to make the right choice.  But I have to think there is more to it than just Jacob proving to MIB that people are good and will choose wisely.

22.  And Jacob can bring people back to life as we saw when he resuscitated Locke after falling out of the window.

23.  Hurley and Richard had a very “Ghost” moment.  With the kooky sidekick telling the heartbroken lover the messages from beyond.  But I was touched.  It was a nice moment.  Nestor Carbonell was spot on tonight with his acting.  Bravo!

24.  Oh and Hurley is a terrible liar.  Isabella didn’t tell him that MIB can’t leave the island.  I think Jacob told Hurley to say that.

25.  And it’s a good thing Hurley speaks Spanish – so he could understand Isabella.

26.  And where is Vincent?

The age old question of “what if…?”  But the new parallel time line isn’t just about what if flight 815 had not crashed.  Jack having a son was not a result of the flight not crashing.  Ben now being chummy with his father is not the result of flight 815 not crashing.  Juliet setting off the bomb has had a significant impact on the future of all the Losties, maybe even others we don’t know.  At some point we will see why it’s important that we know what happens in this other time line  but I suppose it’s human to wonder what your life would be like “if” you or your ancestors had made other choices.

1.  If Miles has to be near the body in order to pick up the last thoughts, how did he speak to that lady’s grandson a few seasons ago?

2.  Reflection.
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3.  The irony that Ben is tending to his father’s oxygen tank (looks and sounds like gas) when he gassed his father back in the original story.
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4.  They didn’t show us that Ilana is carrying this toolbox and collection wires for nothing.  My bet is on her helping signal Widmore to the island.  However, there is a chance that Jacob knew Widmore would be coming so he instructed her to set up a signal to help someone else, perhaps Desmond, to find the island?
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5.  Six candidates are left: Jack, Hurley, Kate, Sawyer, Jin/Sun, and Sayid.  Seems that Sayid and Sawyer would be long shots at this point.

6.  This scene is very reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and the scene in the field of poppies.  Only I don’t remember anyone waking up thinking about cheese curds.  And they took a nap (albeit involuntarily) on the way to see the Wiz (like on the way to the Temple).
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7.  Frank questions how different his life would have been if he had been flying Oceanic 815.  Yes, there could be yet another alternate reality out there where Frank was the pilot.  This series of “what ifs” reminds me of when you put two mirrors together and they just keep reflecting back in to each other indefinitely.

8.  Sure looks like the Black Rock.  The number 19 had heavy significance in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series… and we know that Darlton is a fan.
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9.  It’s funny that Artz gets so frustrated with Ben for stalling when he wants answers.  Kind of like how we feel, huh?

10.  Ben sure does dig a perfect rectangle.
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11.  “That guy is crazy and I know crazy!”
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12.  Man of faith.  We always see the eye opening so it’s interesting to see the change in Jack along with the eyes closed this time.
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13.  I think that Smokey may be tethered to the island by chains.  All the noise that he makes and the fact that he can’t jump fences makes me think that he might still be in chains and it keeps him on the island.

14.  I was surprised that Ben chose to stay with Ilana.  His shot at power was with Locke.  Maybe there really is remorse inside of him and hope that his sacrifices for Jacob still mean something.

15.  I was really disappointed not to see a Dharma patch on Alex’s backpack.
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16.  Never one to pass up on an opportunity, I love the Miles dug up the diamonds.
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17.  The final scene with Widmore was yet another reminder of the brilliance of the writing on this show (and the crappy CGI but I can live with that).  Who would have guessed this turn of events!  Who can imagine what crazy things are going to happen with this guy around?
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Along with Jack, my faith is back.  This week was at the top of my favorite list for sure.  And the “new” Jack, loving him!  Man of faith indeed! Oh and that twist at the end, unreal!

1.  So I was looking back at the Last Supper promo pictures for this season and I think that they each represent a time line.  AND, Ilana is on Locke’s side in both pictures. Ben is on Jack’s side.  I’m growing very suspicious of Ilana which I hate because I was very touched when she told Ben “I’ll have you.”  Here is a situation where I hope I’m wrong.

2.  Elba.  What a nice parallel for what Ben is going through on the Lost island.  How will Ben fare on his “island of Elba?”

3.  Hilarious that Artz has “stuff” on his shirt, much like Hurley had “Artz” on his shirt.

4.  Locke, the substitue, tells Ben he should be in charge.  Then later Not-Locke wants to put him back in charge.

5.  Glad to see that Miles had a somewhat larger role this week.  We also got a clear picture of what his true talent is AND that he talked to Nikki and Paulo (and why didn’t anyone notice that he said they were BURIED ALIVE?).

6.  There were some really great throwback moments tonight to season one (arriving back at the beach, seeing Sawyer’s dirty magazines, Jack and Hurley coming up on camp).  Ben even talks of being nostalgic to Frank.

7.  This year we have reflections (in the past it was the eye opening).  Ben’s was in the microwave as he waited for his lunch to cook.  BTW, I didn’t know they made “organic” TV dinners.

8.  So how cool was it to see Ben’s dad.  Have they all resolved their daddy issues in the new time line?  After all, we found out that Roger was in the Dharma Initiative, was on the island and somehow chose to leave.  Oh, and I loved that he says “who knows how much better our lives would have been.”  Um, maybe not so much.  Frank also mentions how different his life would be if he had piloted the original flight but Ben makes a good point that the island still got him in the end.  So will new time line Ben end up on the island too?

9.  Alex wasn’t his daughter but he still had “fatherly” feelings for her.  And that he sacrificed what he wanted for her was really sweet.  AND it goes back to the question if the father’s have to sacrifice for their children.

10.  What the heck is Ilana building with her tools, wires and mechanics?  Is SHE the one building a beacon so that Widmore can find the island?  Jacob did say someone was coming so he must want him there.

11.  Cheese curds.  Man, Hurley gets the best lines!

12.  I like the picture of “The Black Rock” in the book Ben is reading with Alex.

13.  Sounds like Danielle is having quite a life – she’s working two jobs just to pay rent?

14.  Ben always has a plan doesn’t he?  New time line or old he’s always thinking.  Blackmailing the principal sounded like a good idea in theory.

15.  Jacob gave all of those he touched a gift (or as some would say, a curse) of longevity.  Guess it didn’t work for Locke.

16.  Ben sure digs a nicely shaped rectangle.  Did you notice how perfect the shape was?

17.  This new Jack is so great.  He’s so calm.  He has so much faith in what will happen.  And instead of an eye opening, he closes his eyes.

18.  Ilana had to hear Smokey coming in when he approached Ben.  Hard to believe that she didn’t but then again there are a lot of things that are hard to believe here.

19.  To step back, I found it amusing that Artz kept complaining about their “outdated” equipment.  I wouldn’t have been surprised to see one of the old island computers in his room.

20.  Since Ben doesn’t shoot Ilana and chooses to stay with the beach people, is Smokey going to be mad or is this what he expected?  We saw what Smokey did to the people at the temple when they didn’t come out and follow him.

21.  When Ben tells Ilana that he’s going to go to Locke my thoughts were that this was the first time I’ve heard Ben tell the flat out truth.  And it was also the first time I believed him and actually felt sorry for him.

22.  Are they ever going to reunite Jin and Sun?  The story line has drug on long enough.

23.  I did NOT expect that twist at the end.  WOW wow and WOW!  Widmore wants to take back over?  This is going to be one interesting new twist.

I understand that Sundown is when Smokey attacked the temple, but this week’s title seemed like it should have belonged to a Sun and Jin story.  I could probably skip the first 45 minutes of this episode and get to the meat of the story, but there are some larger themes to address (plus, seeing Keamy again was pretty cool).

1.  In the opening (Previously on Lost…) Ben’s dad shoots Sayid in retaliation for shooting his son.  Oh yeah, Sayid tried to kill Ben when he was a boy.  It would be the ultimate retribution to see Ben turn around and shoot evil Sayid.  Redemption?  And ironically Sayid seems to be the new Ben.

2.  I was also thinking back to the bracelet that Sayid was wearing.  I have a feeling that there will never be an explanation of this one.
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3.  Don’t forget that Jack still has the poison pill.  If there is some of the good Sayid left inside, he might just agree to take it somewhere along the line.

4.  Instead of a mirror reflection, Sayid has a distorted, half reflection.
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5.  Sayid says to Dogan, “You think you know me but you don’t.  I’m a good man.”  One of many indications that the “good” part of Sayid will come back around.

6.  I really want an explanation as to why the ash line kept out Smokey… until Dogan died and then it was a free for all!
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7.  Jacob told Hurley that he couldn’t go back to the Temple because someone bad was going there.  Jacob didn’t mean Claire at all.  He knew that Smokey would come and kill all of those that were there and therefore knew Dogan was going to die.

8.  I still think that this could be the box that Ben was hiding in Jack’s hotel room.  Since we’ll never get the answer on the show I’m sticking with my theory. I’m sure that this knife was an artifact that needed carefully guarded.
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9.  Whoops, guess Sayid let Not-Locke have the first word.

10.  I wonder if the same magic box that brought Locke’s Dad to the island would be used to reunite Sayid with Nadia (Not-Locke’s promise).  Even though the promise to have whatever he wants is enticing, there must be a price.  Maybe he has to go to the sideways world to reunite with her and would have to forget everything he knows from this world.

11.  Yeah, I’d say Claire and Kate are going to have a Kung-Foo fight out in the jungle.  From the look on Claire’s face, I wouldn’t mess with her.
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12.  “I make good eggs.”
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13.  Dead is dead.  Keamy was destined to die.  Course correction.  I’m assuming the same fate will find all of the characters we’ve met and they died.  Can’t wait to see Mikail’s return!

14.  What is Jin doing in the freezer?  He did have an enormous amount of cash on him at the airport and we know that Keamy makes loans.  Jin also had a watch to deliver to someone very important.
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15.  In the current world everyone has daddy issues, even Dogan.  Dogan is the daddy in his story.

16.  I hope that they use Miles for more than a few silly one liners this season.

17.  I couldn’t find any definitive images in Smokey.  I’m attaching one that looks like something there, but couldn’t find  anything very defined.  It’s very creepy that you can hear a scream as this goes by.
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18.  Ilana must know about the “candidates.”  Have you noticed that she calls them all by their last name?

19.  I just can’t believe that the Temple people went to Not-Locke’s side so easily.  I know this is some of them because the little boy (the one that wasn’t on the plane but was at the Temple) is standing there with Not-Locke.  So much for being faithful.
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20.  Not-Locke/Smokey was taking what appeared to be pictures of Kate and Juliet a few seasons ago (remember that?).  I don’t think that he expected to see her and I think that he’s suspicious of her being there.  But knowing that Jack is going to be on team Jacob it’s hard to imagine that she’ll stay with Not-Locke.  I know Saywer is on that side but he’s going to be pining over Juliet.

21.  In the previews for next week it looks like Ben is digging up Locke’s body.  I wonder if he’ll try to take it to the Temple to be resurrected.

More numbers.  Good shots of the numbers.  But who is 108???  I’m voting Desmond.  He’s special.

1.  First shot.  Jack’s dad in a white suit, Jack and his mom in black.

2.  Second picture, Jack smiling with his arm around his dad.  Maybe Locke isn’t the only one in this new timeline that has resolved his “daddy issues.”  Not only do they look happy, but to have a picture of his dad out?  Most of us only keep pictures out of the people that we really care about, not some drunken relative that ruined our life.

3.  Jack looking in the mirror.  Seems to be a theme going here.  Alive on the “other side” and you look at yourself in the mirror (Locke didn’t).

4.  Jack suddenly discovers the appendix scar.  This Jack had it taken out at 7 or 8, Original Jack had his taken out three years ago.  He just now discovers the scar?  I’m thinking that things on the island are somehow crossing over like Faraday talking to Desmond  back in time then Desmond “remembering” it.

5.  I love that Jack has a kid and I love that he’s a “good” kid.  He gets his redemption with his son also.  Uh oh, we know what happens to characters that find redemption (at least on the island).

6.  Lots of reflections in this episode.  Next scene is Jack looking at himself in the water.  Jack seems to have some sort of “feeling” or intuition that there is more then just his one timeline.

7.  They must be going to do more with Miles then have him play tick-tac-toe.  He talks to dead people too.  Maybe one for each side?

8.  Hurley has become Jacob’s new Ben.  I remember Ben telling Locke that he wouldn’t be able to see Jacob and was shocked when he did hear him (help me).  Now Hurley is in the same position when Jack asks to see him.  And Ben told Locke that it didn’t work like that when Locke insisted he take him to talk to Jacob.

9.  The book David was reading “Annotated Alice’… Jack starts to talk about “Kitty and Snowdrop” who were the black and white kittens and according to Wikipedia, “At the end of the book they are associated with the Red Queen and the White Queen respectively in the looking glass world.”  Ah, so many crossover themes!

10.  Could anyone hear what David was listening to?  Jeronimo Jackson or Driveshaft?

11.  Jin hurt his “left” leg.  Locke was always hurting his left leg.  When Michael hurt his leg it was the left leg.  Claire points to her left leg when she says she was shot.  Probably doesn’t mean anything but at least they are consistent.

12.  Claire knows that they left the island?  If she saw the whole thing then wouldn’t she be shocked to see them back?

13.  OK so Hurley, dude,  THE best lines this week!  Indiana Jones stuff, Obi Wan Kanobi, lying to a samari… ROTFL!

14.  Dogan knows that the candidates are but Richard doesn’t?

15.  Do we know why the line “you have what it takes” means so much to Jack?  I’m thinking that he had conversation with his dad but not the specifics.  Jack talks to David near the end and says that his dad always told him that he “didn’t have what it takes” but can there be more to this then just the obvious?

16.  The doll that Claire has in the bassinet solidifies the fact that he is coo-coo for coco puffs.  That was so creepy!

17.  Oh yeah, and the fact that she just kills the temple guy without blinking an eye.

18.  And yes, I noticed how much she and Danielle were alike. But I think Claire has a huge lead on the crazy train over Danielle.

19.  I love the new crazy jungle claire too.  Without the perfect hair and make up she looks pretty cool!

20.  Claire’s buddy is Christian, I think she sees Christian.  Jin saw Locke.  He takes all sorts of forms.  Who will Jack see???

21.  It’s nice to see that Jack has stopped drinking back in the new time line.

22.  Did you catch the “McKutcheon” whiskey at Jack’s mom’s house?  I’ll get a screen shot.  It’s Desmond and Widmore’s whiskey if you recall.

23.  And Jack’s dad must not be too much better if he still has an illegitimate child (Claire) in the new time line.

24.  Should be very interesting when Kate does reveal she’s been raising Aaron.  Kate can really kick some butt and our new Claire is pretty intense.  Going to be quite the showdown.

25.  Shannon’s inhaler was finally found!  They thought that Sawyer stole it and if memory serves he got quite a beating over that thing.

26.  Did Hurley just tell us who is in the cave?  Is it Rose and Bernard perhaps?

27.  Was I the only one who loves seeing the caves again?  Very nostalgic.

28.  I think it was Jacob that led Jack to the cave.  Jacob tells Hurley that Jack has to find the answers in his own way and finding the coffin was probably one of the ways to lead him there.

29.  I assume that Sara is David’s mother but I guess it doesn’t have to be her.  I notice that they didn’t show the “mother” in any pictures, she was “out of town” when Jack went to the house and they never say her name.

30.  House key hidden in the rabbit.  Another reoccuring theme – rabbits.  But this bunny didn’t have any numbers on it.

31.  I guess by Jack hearing his message on the answering machine for David (before he left Australia) answers the question of whether this time line started on the plane.

32.  Jack came back to the island because he was broken.  Jack always has to fix things!  His faith brought him back because he thought the island could fix him.  And it will.

33.  Jack questions why they hadn’t seen the lighthouse before.  Maybe it’s like the cabin that appears and disappears.

34.  Remember how much Faraday wanted to play the piano but his mother wouldn’t let him because he had more important things to do?  I just can’t help but think there is some connection between David and Daniel.

35.  Dogan at the tryouts.  Coincidence?

36.  Gotta get screen shots again of those numbers.  Now this looks much more like Jacob’s work (very detailed and orderly).  I think Desmond is at 108 degrees.

37.  How cool were the reflections in the mirrors?  Will have to screen cap but I thought I also saw buildings from sun and Jin’s meeting with Jacob.  Why Jack’s childhood house for him to see?

38.  Someone bad is going to the temple?  Could that someone be Claire?

NUMBERS!

I never would have guessed that the numbers correspond to each of those on Jacob’s list.  I didn’t even expect an answer to the number question.  But I for one am more then satisfied with this answer.  And to all the naysayers that thought they made this show up as they went along, this is proof positive that the answers were there from the start.  Too many connections to the numbers not to have been a plan.  Darlton rules!

1.  What I want to know is how Locke became paralyzed in the new time line.  If his dad didn’t push him then what happened?  Was he “meant” to be paralyzed?  Is this is cross to bear in life?

2.  Ironically the sprinklers come on.  The water seems to be associated with trouble in this show.

3. Helen says that she wants to take her parents and his dad to their wedding.  Locke’s dad?  Can’t wait to see that dynamic.  His dad is the original Sawyer.  I can’t believe that his dad is not a con man in any time line.

4.  I also LOVED that we got to see from Smokey’s point of view.  I thought that was a terrific camera shot.  But, I want to know what is up with all of the noises Smokey makes.  The cricket sound, the growling and the mechanical ticking.  Plus remember when Smokey looked like he was taking pictures of Juliet and Kate?

5.  Not-Locke says that people seldom get a second chance.  Is that what this is about?  The island has given them a second chance?  We can see that their lives back home were pretty crappy in the non-crash time line.  Redemption?

6.  Randy is back.  Wow, that guy is a huge douche (like Hurley said).

7.  Hey, maybe we’ll find out where the nickname “Hurley” came from.  Or why Libby was obsessed with him.

8.  I’m glad we’re getting a Richard episode.  I want to know what Jacob did use Richard for.

9.  I’m also curious to see who the little boy that Not-Locke is chasing.  I don’t think we have enough back story yet to know who it is.  My guess is that it’s someone from long ago.  Obviously quite important to Not-Locke since he’s chasing him around like the White Rabbit.

10.  How very interesting that Sawyer could see the little boy but Richard couldn’t.

11.  Ilana has more connection to Jacob then we know yet.  She wasn’t crying over her team mates.  And collecting the ash will surely come in handy later.  She also knows a whole lot about this island.  I’m sure she’s spent some time here before.

12.  OK, I really think that Sawyer had part of the bomb at his kitchen sink.  I’ll screen cap it later.

13.  Saywer had “the best” lines this episode.  I hate what they did to his character (killing Juliet) but I love that they have brought back the slick con man from Season One.  We know there is a good guy down in there now so it’s hard not to like him.  Also, I will gamble and say that there is no way Sawyer will leave this island without at least Kate.  We know there is a good part of Sawyer down there.  No way he’ll leave.  Remember that Sawyer is a professional con man.  He could very well be playing a con on Not-Locke right now.

14.  So remember that Hurley owned a box factory in our original time line that blew up.  He made a lot of money off of it.  Guess Locke may have dodged a bullet getting fired from there.

15.  Hm, and Hurley introduces himself in the new time line as “Hugo Reyes.”  Maybe he is the only one whose life really was better without the crash.  But…. without the crash this new time line would not have happened.

16.  The little boy tells Not-Locke that according to the rules he can’t kill Jacob.  Not-Locke supposedly found a loop hole.  But did he?  Or, is the boy telling Not-Locke that he can’t kill Saywer?  He only says “you can’t kill HIM.”  So the little boy may very well be Jacob.

17.  Ben had said before that Widmore wanted to kill everyone on the island.  That if the freighter got there that they would kill everyone on the island.  Now Richard tells Sawyer that Not-Locke is going to kill everyone.  Coincidence?

18.  It’s pretty cool that Rose is working for Hurley.  She’s still the calm voice of reason.  And she still has her cancer.  Guess she’s about the same in both time lines.

19.  There is the possibility that Not-Locke is trapped much like Juliet felt trapped on the island.

20.  Ilana says that Not-Locke cannot change his face again, “he’s stuck this way.”  Guess burying Locke’s body was a good idea since he won’t be coming back then.

21.  This burial reminded me of the ones in the past.  No one had anything to say.  I was very shocked that Ben admitted to murdering him.  Right now Ben has to be so lost.  He’s not the leader, he doesn’t have Jacob to follow and his “family” is dead.

22.  The irony of the title of this episode.  Locke is the substitute in two ways.  Not-Locke and the substitute teacher.  Looks like this teaching job Rose found him will prove to be very meaningful in his new time line life.  And meeting Ben!  Wow, Ben was grouchy too!  Maybe because he’s teaching European history.

23.  Locke’s life has to be somewhat different back home.  He’s still engaged to Helen and she didn’t leave him.  He must have done some things right.  but, was interested that he lied to Jack about going on the walkabout. But he’s not as much of a man of faith, more like a good faker.

24.  Did you notice that Helen’s shirt said “Peace and Karma?”

25.  Now that Locke and Sawyer are down the ladders how on earth are they getting back up?  Not-Locke had to save Sawyer for now.  He must need him alive…. for now.  Maybe has something to do with his name on that cave wall?

26.  Three choices – do nothing, stay and “protect” the island, or leave.

27.  What answers is Sawyer looking for?  Does he even know?

28.  4- Locke, 8- Reyes , 15-Ford , 16-Jarrah, 23- Shephard, 42-Kwon (he didn’t know if it was Sun or Jin).

29.  Where was Kate on the list?  What do the numbers signify?  Why are the candidates to the be the leader?  What makes them qualified?  And what about Vincent?

30.  In the preview for next week I heard Ben’s voice stating that “someone is coming.”  I’m thinking that Desmond is coming.  He’s coming back.  He’s special, as Daniel pointed out.

32.  I’m expecting Walt to show up at the school where Locke is teaching.

What “did” Kate do?  I would say that there is something here just by the tense alone.  What Kate does. Well, Kate does get on my nerves.  But in relation to the grander scheme, in both time lines Kate is keeping Claire and Aaron together.  Aaron must be raised by Claire, or according to the psychic.

1.  Answer.  We know definitively who was walking through the jungle earlier (remember Jin and Eko watching the bare feet?).
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2.  Dogan – writing a letter to someone or journaling about the island?  Just seems odd to see him typing anything at all.

3.  Someone pointed out that Dogan keeps grabbing his necklace every time something dramatic happens.  Nervous habit, poison pill inside, ash, etc???

4.  Sawyer, “Course he’s fine.  He’s an Iraqi torturer who shoots kids he definitely deserves another go around.”  No, he’s not bitter (can’t say I blame him)

5.  Maybe nothing will come of this but I’d like to think that the look on Kate’s face at the airport when she looks back at Jack is dejavu.  I guess I’m hoping that some of the original time line is seeping into their consciousness.

6.  No, we have not seen the mechanic before now on Lost.  However, I started wondering why we had to see this scene.  We are in the home stretch of the show, do we really need to see how Kate gets the handcuffs off?  I don’t care how – I can assume she picked them or used some other way but why show us this scene?  Guess I’ll file it away in the memory Rolodex in case this guy shows back up to ask Kate to “return the favor.”  Ooo, maybe he’s a land Other.  Maybe he’s like Abadon and he’s just around to make sure they get where their supposed to go.

7.  The sound that used to happen between flashes now sounds like they are playing it backwards between scenes.

8.  Now I wonder if Danielle was also testing Sayid to see if he had “the sickness.”  Yes, I know she was trying to get information on Alex but I’m sure she was worried about him since her crew all had the sickness.  And how did he fail the test?  Because he didn’t die now they see he is immortal?  Maybe if he were good there would be a different reaction – no pain?

9.  Claire gets back in the cab with Kate because she is just as desperate as Kate is.  If Claire’s backstory is the same as the original, or close, she doesn’t want to keep the baby.  The father left, her mom is in a coma and her real father is a deadbeat.  Claire knows that the couple isn’t going to take the baby but perhaps has one last hope that they will and therefore agrees to go to their home.

10.  Best line!  “No, I am not a zombie.”  Darlton had to be laughing so hard when they wrote that line.  There is backstory here people with the zombie joke.

11.  I’m still sticking with the notion that Ethan is not simply a doctor that happens to get Claire’s case.  Faraday, in 1977, went back and built his lab and wrote all his notes down.  Therefore all of his research is out there in this time line for Dharma and the DeGroots to use.  So just because they aren’t on the original island doesn’t mean that they don’t exist.  Expect to see more “Others” as the weeks go by.
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12.  Oh, and his last name is Goodspeed because his parents were Amy and Horace.  “Rom” was only used with the Losties when he was trying to pretend he was on the plane.

13.  Coincidence?  When Claire tells Ethan she’s not ready to have Aaron the baby’s heart stops beating and flatlines on the monitor.  If you recall, in Season One Claire had mentioned that she hadn’t felt the baby move since the crash.  Was Aaron infected with the “sickness?”  Could he be infected also back in this time line?

14.  So if we believe that Claire must raise Aaron (and I love, love, love the theory that he must be raised by her in order to take over Jacob’s spot) then Kate did have a very pivotal line.  She tells Sawyer on the dock that if she can get to Claire and reunite her with Aaron then “all of this” would not be for nothing.  Is that our answer to it all right there?  Anything that happens in the meantime is just progress (as Jacob would say)?

15.  I went back and watched the scene from Season Four where Richard “tests” young Locke and you can watch it here – to see if there was a baseball involved.  Richard does present Locke with a baseball glove.  There has to be a connection and with the fact that there are millions of obsessed fans out there, if the baseball had appeared before we would know.  There is also the connection of Jack and his dad to baseball, but I’m thinking that the baseball glove also is a clue.

16.  Jack doesn’t end up swallowing the pill because Dogan gets it out of him.  I’m betting that Sayid will end up taking it.

17.  The original flight crashed on the island in September.  Here is a snapshot of Claire’s ultrasound and the date is clearly October 22,2004 – one month ahead of the original crash.  Maybe the bomb didn’t split time at all.  Maybe all it did was push Jack, Kate, Jin, Miles, Hurley, and Sayid back to where they were supposed to be in time.  So time in both is moving along as it should.  But because of the butterfly effect their flight was delayed one month, the island is under water and so forth.
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18.  I think Jack is going to take over the island much like Dogan runs it now.  He is the modern day medicine man, he now believes (or appears that way) and has nothing to go home to.  Dogan is telling him the secrets so maybe Jack and Locke will become the new Jacob and MIB (man in black) of the island.  Man of Science, Man of Faith.

19.  The guy tells Aldo that he can’t shoot Jin because he’s “one of them.”  Jin and the others were on Jacob’s list.  Remember that Jacob also had a list when the Others originally came and kidnapped Kate, Jack and Sawyer.  What’s up with these lists?

20.  I love that the new Claire is all dirtied up on the island!  No more makeup kit!  I think that even if the “darkness” has taken her over it doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know who she is or remembers the other survivors.  Hopefully at some point though Jin can escape and get back to Sun.  But I’m going to be interested if Claire has taken over Danielle’s place on this island (recorded creepy soundtracks, wonder where her baby is, etc…).
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NOTE: Please go back and read my initial thoughts and then the terrific comments before leaving new comments.  I’m interested to hear what you think will happen from here and your theories.