Wow. *picks jaw off floor* OK, time to reassess. First off, I don't believe for a second that Locke's dead. All that build up toward his meeting with Jacob, and then Jacob's message of "Help me". That's too much for them to just turn around and kill him. Besides, they showed how quickly his hand healed from the bite he received from Cooper. They didn't show that for nothing. The island, or some force on it, will heal him. Resurrection mythology, anyone? Goes more toward the "Locke as savior" theory, which I had been equivocal about previously.

Here are my initial thoughts after that mind blower episode. Jacob is some manifestation of the island's force. It's the force that keeps the indigenous population (those who Dharma called "the hostiles", see: Alpert, Richard) from aging and can be a healing force. Jacob has asked for Locke's help because Ben has not listened to him. He has led his children astray, into the world of technology, and Jacob can't help them in that world. They will start to, for lack of a better phrase, become more mortal. He wants his children to thrive, but they can't as long as Ben is leading them down the wrong path. Locke gets it, and Jacob knows that Locke gets it. Does Ben get it? And why does Jacob talk only to Ben...until now, that is?

Ben has said twice now that only a few of his people were "born here". Alpert is the only one we've seen who predates Ben. We know Juliet was brought. We know Mikhail was brought. I'm curious how many more like Alpert there are. There seemed to be quite a few last night. What happened to them?

Bigger question: Jacob and Smokey--same force? competing forces? coexisting forces? I'll take "A" for right now.

Anyway, I think Alpert has realized that Ben's pursuits are ultimately bad for him and at least the rest of the indigenous people in the group, if not all of the group.

There's an interesting link now between Ben's history and his obsession with fertility and the pregnant women dying on the island.

I hope some of this mythology is cleared up a bit with the official podcast...and I hope it's released soon...like today

Back on the beach, Jack is annoying me no end. He's become quite the smug bastard. I find it very telling that he was demanding to know everything about Naomi and the tape--and seemed offended he was kept out of the loop--when he's got his own secrets with Juliet. I'm starting to hope he's one of our "casualties" in the finale.

So it looks like a 3-pronged showdown. Locke v. Ben v. The Beach. Maybe there will be the battle between the Others and the Losties, and in the midst of it, Locke comes in, back from the dead and ready to kick a$$. Or not.