So, let me get this straight, these flashsideways that we are seeing is what wouldve happen if the plane didnt crash on the island?

I wasn't a big fan of this episode either. I kind of felt like I spent the last 5 years watching a really long zombie movie but didn't find out it was a zombie movie til the end. Not happy about that at all.

I have read every comment here and have come to some conclusions.

1) It is very interesting that MIB has constantly inhabited a man called 'Christian', very interesting indeed.
2) "I am very disappointed in all of you". He is constantly doing things to liberate these people, but they constantly allow themselves to be tricked into coming back by Jacob.

Basically, Jacob represents the plight of humanity and our obsession with order and higher power and free will. This is very endemic of this shows commentary about religion. (Cf All the various borrowed religious symbols) Remember, all the characters are named after mathematicians, philosophers and scientists. I believe that the show is a social commentary about the evils of established ecclisiology. This is evidenced by the awful acts the others have committed for the 'greater good'. Ben represents the blind leader who is willing to blindly follow the orders of his 'god'.

I cant say anything else for sure as i dont think we've been given enough detail yet. MIB represents the fate argument. Him and Jacob have been having an eternal discussion about the nature of man.

The whole point of this show is that it is an exploration of right and wrong, good and bad and ultimately free will and fate. Jacob believes that people have the capacity to be good all we need to do is to be directed to make the right choices. MIB disagrees, he believes once differing societies clash we ultimately show ourselves to be evil. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.

Alpert is the messenger ignorant of who is instructing him. As such MIB and Jacob instruct him in a manor that keeps their disparate identity secret.

EVERYONE IS A PAWN. They take it in turns to influence the actions of the LOST people. I emphasize this word because the only people who they bring to the island are people who arent set in their ways.

As such they experiment and make a wager. A slave ship filled with LOST souls is brought to the island. Jacob (wearing white) takes the first turn. What will men given their freedom do, and religion do? I cannot say whether he liberates the slaves or not, but ultimately Alpert does something which acts to prove Jacobs point about man and he is rewarded. Jacob wins round one. As such as part of the wager he can do as he sees fit without interference from MIB and he establishes the temple society we see who are all rewarded with eternal life. MIBs turn (after all white moves before black). This takes place quite a considerable time late. The Dharma scientists arrive and as it is not Jacobs turn he cannot interfere. Lets see what the established society will do when they are met by their polar opposites. Subsequently Ben is enticed into the others camp by the whispers (MIB) and he kills of the entire Dharma crew and subsequently rousseaus team. MIB wins this round. Jacobs punishment is his imprisonment in the cabin. (Notice how he only starts to appear when the line is broken).

As with when it was Jacobs go, MIB is now allowed a period of time to influence the people. They form a hardline religious sect of people who are the others we know today.

Final round. Are science and religion reconcilable?

You will notice that all the things that happened in Jacobs turn were firmly routed in mysticism and religion (Smoke judgment monster, baptism pool that heals, immortality in eden). All the things that happen in MIBs turn are more science fiction (the ability to move the island, time travel etc). This goes back to my earlier point about scientific and religious discussion about free will and destiny.

Final round. Are science and religion reconcilable?

Its winner takes all this time. I am not sure at this point if they take turns anymore. They draw various people to the island who all have very different outlooks on the world. Particularly interesting is the juxtaposition of Locke, the naturist, and Jack, the scientist. They are fate and free will personified.

The game of chess is about to come to its conclusion. This obviously is not representative of the entire show there are loads of things i havent even touched on, but i believe this is close to the general themes of the show and the motives of Jacob and MIB. Neither are good or bad, they just have different outlooks on life.

Let me know if you think at the very least what ive said is interesting or if its complete nonsense!

So here's a theory... what if we are watching a linear story that is flashing between act 1 and act 2 of the final season?
That is, the island story will culminate in the eventual sinking of the island which suddenly puts them back on the plane, bruised Jack and all. Then we see what everybody does next (including Kate)

When Kate and Jun were tracking Sawyer with the two temple guards and they found the trip wire ... what was up with the comment that Rousseau (the french lady) had been dead for years. One of the guards interrupted the other and prevented him from finishing his statement ... but what was up with that?

@Locke_hunts_destiny: "Are we supposed to idly stand by as the writers shamelessly introduce new characters who have been on the island since the beginning? THE TEMPLE? What a literary cop out."

well, yes, actually.

i think new characters being introduced at this point with a bonafied connection to the island is cool. the introduction of newbies if you will is what keeps the show fresh. in the past, we got the others, then then widmore's agents, then the dharma initiative, then jacob's disciples, then jacob and MiB. now the templars. so there's precedent for introducing a new group in every season.

but we've never been in the inside of the temple before. so now we get to see what goes on there.

how is that a cop-out?

is that less of a cop-out than two parallel timelines? thuink about it.

@chuba: "Now that we know that people can be claimed I suppose when Richard Alpert tested young John Locke at the orphanage, he was actually looking for signs that John had been claimed by the enemy."

interesting theory. but for that to be true, why would Richard go ahead and make Locke the Leader of the Others if there was even a remote chance he'd be claimed? Richard even got a clue, when he chose the wrong item, yet still welcomed him.

@mbane: "Who is the leader of the Others? They say it is Jacob, but nobody of the besides Alpert didn't see him (so far the only character which is confirmed as non aging - possibly dead and/or claimed). But he is the enemy of the MIB. Maybe MiB is Jacob to Others. Their actions were mostly evil so far. Or the Jacob is evil and can transform to smoke also. There is to much inconsistency, I would like to see how the writers will explain them."

the Temple Others have been referred to in earlier seasons. if you think of them as an inner circle of acolytes compared to the other Others led by Ben, with richard as go-between, there's more conssitancy than you realize. i dont think they're any less antagonistic than the Others were at first. Furthermore Smoke-ness Lockester has been hinted at a few times, but there's nothing really to connect Jacob with Smokey (sound FX, foreshadowing, etc.) thus, smokey is smokey and jacob is jacob. er, was jacob. i dont really think the Templars are evil--otherwise they would have shot everyone on sight--but they do have an agenda. Unless Jacob is evil and has been all along, and MiB is good and has been all along. but that's somewhat unlikely. i do think we'll see some ambiguity in both archetypal characters before its over, but i think its more dark/light or black/white (with gray in the middle) than absolute moralism. only Hurley so far out of all the main characters has been morally pure with no ulterior motive.

love lost!! ... i love coming to read these recaps and especially love all the comments.. its half the fun.. so are the flashsideways suposed to be alt reality or before they get to the island? or after evrything happens?

As I remember the Temple is a home of the smoke. The french team was attacked in front of the temple and the Daniel boyfriend was pulled to the Temple by the smoke. All the people connected you refer as connected to MIB (smoke) as Danielle, Alex, Kristian, Klaire have been seen in the temple. Why the Others in the temple didn't intervene in such cases. Who is the leader of the Others? They say it is Jacob, but nobody of the besides Alpert didn't see him (so far the only character which is confirmed as non aging - possibly dead and/or claimed). But he is the enemy of the MIB. Maybe MiB is Jacob to Others. Their actions were mostly evil so far. Or the Jacob is evil and can transform to smoke also. There is to much inconsistency, I would like to see how the writers will explain them. Or they simply made some serious mistakes.

Now that we know that people can be claimed I suppose when Richard Alpert tested young John Locke at the orphanage, he was actually looking for signs that John had been claimed by the enemy. I dare say he did this not to find out if John was their designated leader but wanted to investigate if John was to become the ultimate threat. He also visits him right after his birth (he's had infections too, btw.) and I wonder if there is more significance to that early visit.

Maybe there is a way to 'be claimed' before being born, which could also be the reason why women can't receive children on the island (not allowed by higher powers) and also, why pregnant Claire received so much attention from the Others - and finally, why the Others were so interested in killing Rousseau's baby girl but not her.

Counter-loophole measures all along?