Alright, kids, here we have the season opener. The two parts to this episode focused on two timelines: the original timeline, on the island following the detonation of the hydrogen bomb and an alternate timeline, where everyone is still on the plane and land successfully in LAX. (note: did you notice that the title of this ep is not "LAX" but rather "LA X" with a space?) Let's talk about the alternate timeline first:
A few things happen: Jack , with the help of Sayid, saves Charlie's life; Locke befriends Boone; Kate has an elevator ride with Sawyer, escapes her Marshal and jumps in a cab with Claire; Shannon isn't on the plane; Jin gets taken away at customs, while Sun pretends to not know English; Hurley is the luckiest guy ever, yet Sawyer tells him not to tell people he's won the lotto; Desmond sits next to Jack, but then disappears after one of Jack's 12 billion trips to the bathroom (also: Jack recognizes him -- is it from meeting him when they were both running up and down the stairs of the stadium?); Christian Sheppard's coffin goes missing; Charlie is arrested for posession. Most importantly, the whole island, including the statue and Dharma barracks are under water. Thank you weird underwater scene.
Here are the questions:
-what's up with the sore on Jack's neck?
-where did Desmond go?
-where is the coffin?
-where is the box of knives?
-what does Jack mean when tells Locke "nothing is irreversible"? How does this play into both of their characters philosophies? can Jack "fix" Locke?
-are Walt and Michael on the flight?
-why was Desmond on the flight when he wasn't originally on it?
Let's go to the original timeline. Juliet does set off the bomb and the gang is transported to some other time. In this time the Swan had been blown up. Yet! Juliet is still dying underneath it. So, they manage to pull her out and Sawyer has some dying words with her (she says they can get coffee and go dutch). Juliet dies. Meanwhile, Sayid is dying and Jacob visits Hurley. He tells Hurley that they have to go to the temple and that he has died. So, as Sawyer and Miles bury Juliet (so that Sawyer can have Miles talk to Juliet - she meant to say "it worked"), Jack, Kate, Hurley and Jin take Sayid to the temple. The end up with the others, who seem to drown Sayid in a temple bath, yet he still dies, in a very Christ-like fashion. When they learn that Jacob is dead, they start to protect the temple, spreading ash around. Miles and Sawyer end up there too. Sayid wakes up.
On the other side of the island, smoke moster-turned Locke-turned smoke monster is killing "Jacob's bodyguards". Ben realizes that Locke is dead. No one knows what's going on. Fake Locke grabs Richard and knocks him out, dragging him away and telling the Others that he's disappointed in them. He wants to go home.
Questions:
-Where is the smoke monsters home?
-Is the temple bath the fountain of youth?
-Was Sayid reborn?
-Did Jacob know that all of this was going to happen? How did he know to tell Hurley to bring the guitar case to the Island in the first place?
-Why was it essential to Jacob that Sayid lives?
-Where is the Locke, the Smoke Monster taking Richard? To the Temple?
You all have your theories, some of which are in the last post. Let's hear 'em.
