Because You Left/The Lie

Up until, now, we have had strong indications that time travel was going to be a big part of the answer to what is going on with the Island. However, we have not actually had physical time travel before this episode. All we have seen was Desmonds' consciousness bounce back and forth in time. That and a very old polar bear dug up in the Sahara. Things are definitely getting interesting.

The show started with the original Dharma people constructing the Orchid station (in the '70's), where we see Faraday in a construction uniform. Apparently, Faraday has been interested in time travel for quite some time. Do we read anything into the fact that he didn't look any younger? Or are we to assume that the beard is hiding his age?

I am a little confused about how we are to interpret the Islands 'Moving'. From the helicopter, the group escaping the Island clearly saw that the Island had moved. It was no longer there. We also learn the there is a time displacement that went with the move. However, from what I could see, it isn't the Island that is moving through time, but the people. So two things have happened; the people started moving through time and continue to do so at some interval (108 minutes, perhaps), and the Island moved through space, only once, as far as I can tell. Perhaps I am being too anal, but the scientist in me doesn't like that.

After the plane crash, when Ethan shot Locke, Locke must have made some impression on Ethan, because he knew his name. So after 812's crash, when Ethan infiltrated the survivors, why didn't Ethan recognize Locke?

It looks like Sawyer is beginning to take on a leadership role. I wonder how he likes that.

I am happy to see that Alpert is not all-knowing. He tells Locke that then next time he sees him, he will not know him. So Alpert is human. Could time travel be the reason he doesn't seem to age?

In order to stop the Island from bouncing around in time, they must bring everyone back. Does that include Desmond? Will Penny go with him? How about Ben? He supposedly can never return to the Island, and yet is sounded to me like he needs to return, too. If Penny returns with Desmond to the Island, and if Ben returns, will he try to kill her there? Also, I don't know if I believe that Locke is dead...

There's No Place Like Home

When last we watched, we learned why the Oceanic Six (Jack, Kate, Sayid, Sun, Hugo, and Aaron; well, 5 of the six) have been lying about the plane crash. We also learned that the Island wants them all to come back (or at least, Ben say's that the Island want's them back). It has been appying pressure to Jack and Hurley. Jack seems to be having mental breakdown and emotional issues, along with an alcohol problem. An Hurley has been having 'visitations' from the dead, and is still being haunted by the numbers. I wonder if any of the others have been feeling the pressure to return. Kate, on the other hand, has been told by Claire in a dream, not to bring Aaron back to the Island.

The Island has been moved, so even if they all wanted to go back, they don't know how to get there. And even if they knew 'where' the Island is, they don't know 'when' it is. Although, presumably, if they all got together, the Island would bring them back. They will have to do it soon, though, if they are going to get Locke there with them, as carrying a coffin around is bound to raise some eyebrows.

Sun is getting devious. She used the Oceanic Airlines settlement money to buy a controlling interest in his company because she blames him for Jin's death.

Jack learned that Claire is his half-sister, and Aaron is his nephew. So his inability to be with Kate, because of Aaron, is part of the problem that he is having.

Desmond and Penny are together, but Desmond was not on the plane, so he is not one of the "Six". Ben has sworn to kill Penny, to get revenge on Widmore for having Alex killed (for some reason, that was breaking the rules).

Left on the Island is Sawyer (he swam ashore, after jumping out of the helicopter), Miles (the ghost whisperer), Daniel (the Physisist), Charlotte (the anthropologist), Lock, Claire, Bernard, Rose, Alpert, Juliet and the Others (sans Ben).

Dead are Keamy (the ass-hole mercenary), Micheal, Danielle, Alex, and of course, Charley.

It is not clear whether Jin is dead or not. He was jumping off the boat when the C4 exploded. I don't recall what happened to Frank, the helicopter pilot. Did he die in the helicopter, or was he rescued along with the others by Penny?

So are we ready for Season 5 yet?