(S06E12) You can certainly tell that we've turned the corner on this final season of 'Lost.' Suddenly, the alpha-verse and beta-verse seem to be on a collision course with one another, and I'm very intentionally using that expression. With Desmond on the loose in both universes now, things have gotten a lot more interesting, even if I'm still not 100% clear what either of his motivations are.

As expected, the beta-verse Hurley is every bit the financial success with Mr. Cluck's that the alpha-verse Hurley could never quite manage. What was alpha-Hurley's deep-rooted desire, if I'm going to continue that theory, that the beta-verse fulfilled? He said many times that he didn't want the millions he won in the lottery, but I think it was his never-ending plague of bad luck that he really wanted to get rid of. Trying to shed his winnings was just a means to his desired end.

BETA-VERSE (2004)

It might have helped if we could have somehow gotten beta-Desmond on his crusade a little earlier in the season. The beta-verse seemed to turn a lot of viewers off, as many of them saw it as irrelevant. It's pretty clear now that it definitely is relevant, and connected to the alpha-verse, though we're not yet sure how or why.

I'm not even sure what beta-Desmond is exactly trying to accomplish. He's going around tracking down the passengers of Flight 815 in an apparent attempt to trigger in them memories of the alpha-verse. Maybe he was going to push Hurley toward a near-death experience at first, until he heard about Libby. Instead, he just tailed Hurley until Hurley had the revelation about that past life. After all, unless something was different, Libby was on that plane, as well, which means it's two birds with one stone.

The parallels between Hugo and Libby's first date was a much appreciated touch. Hugo is such a lovable and decent character in both universes that it's great to see him getting a second chance at love with Libby, though I fear it may be tragically cut short again. Once again, we see that love is at the center of everything this season, so in the end will it be love that saves us all?

It's good news for Hurley that love jogged his memory, because Desmond took a much more brutal and severe approach to jogging Locke's memories as to what happened. Maybe he sensed that back in the alpha-verse, the monster masquerading as Locke had just pitched him down a well. Either way, he was as cold and callous in his attack on beta-Locke as alpha-Desmond was smiling and accommodating to MiB-Locke in the alpha-verse.

As for the beta-verse being a manifestation of people's secret desires, I did notice that all of the extras on this show must have secret desires to have amazing physiques. Every single body we saw on that beach with Libby and Hurley was absolutely stunning, and that goes equally for the gorgeous bikini bodies on the women, and the ripped chests and abs of every man that walked by. I don't know where this beach is, but I know I'd probably be too self-conscious to take my shirt off there.

I'm not sure if Dr. Chang's appearance was some sort of hint about time travel in the Dharma Initiatve, or something else entirely. Considering the years that he was on the island, he looks absolutely fantastic for it being 2004 now. But does it mean something? Ben was there as a child when Chang looked the way he did here, and Ben's all grown up now. I'll leave it to you all to explain that one to me.

Beta-Desmond's encounter with beta-Ben and beta-Locke was the first time the beta-verse storyline diverged completely from the focus of the flash-sideways; in this case Hurley. This tells me that the beta-story is picking up steam and building toward an explosive climax.

ALPHA-VERSE (2007)

Speaking of explosions, the writers got a "holy crap!" out of me with the abrupt death of Ilana tonight. But, as Ben said, it reaffirms that once the island is done with you, it is good and truly done with you. Ilana served her purpose, and she is no longer needed. But that means Richard's purpose remains unfulfilled. Do you think he'll get his much-desired death in the end, or will he find a reason to live? I actually think him dying might be a sweetly romantic ending for him. He can rejoin his wife in the afterlife. After all, love is what it's all about.

How about Hurley stepping up and taking control this week? It was a little odd seeing him and Jack in opposite roles, but it does add credence to my theory that Hurley will be at the center of everything by the time all is said and done. If he's not the one who becomes the new guardian of the island, he'll be pivotal in some other way.

For the most part, the alpha-verse storyline was another episode of putting the pieces in their places for the showdown to come. Now we have "Team Richard" heading off to try and blow up the plane, while "Team Hugo" made their way to MiB-Locke's camp, with a little help from a spirit Michael. Michael explained that the whispers we've been hearing since the first episode are the spirits trapped on the island, who aren't ready to "move on." So while Libby wasn't there, perhaps Ana Lucia is.

It was a nice moment for Michael's character to allow him to show genuine regret and remorse for Libby's death. Considering how strong his character was for the first part of the series, it was a real disappointment how things ended up for him. At least now we can say he got a little bit of emotional closure before we say goodbye to 'Lost' forever.

Emotions continue to be all over the place, with Richard breaking down like an emotional baby again, this time throwing a temper tantrum when Hurley blew up the Black Rock. Sayid remains a stoic and frightening emotionless robot, while Desmond was acting like he was flying higher than a kite. Maybe there were some good drugs mixed in all that electromagnetic energy.

I have a feeling he knew MiB-Locke was going to cast him down that well (at least he was kind enough to throw down a torch ahead of him). Alpha-Desmond seems to have a plan, and perhaps it's the same plan. For all we know, the Desmonds can communicate with one another; we've seen him communicate across time before and who knows what the EM burst did to him.

The question is what kind of trouble can Desmond get up to down there with that wheel. There's no way he'll die in the fall, because the island isn't done with him yet. Whatever his purpose, in both realities it looks like Desmond is steering the ship. Where it's going I have no idea, but with only five episodes left, there's no way I'm jumping overboard now.

[Connect the dots yourself with clips and full episodes of 'Lost' over at SlashControl.]