(S06E08) Mr. Ford was back at the center of 'Lost' for this week's installment. The flash-sideways started us off in familiar territory before veering sharply into the unexpected. Pieces and characters are starting to come together a little more in the beta-verse, with lots of interesting potential.

Back in the alpha-verse, we spent the entire episode with MiB-Locke and his motley crew of temple survivors. That meant Kate got to spend some quality time with Claire and the new and subdued Sayid. All in all, it was one of the most uncomfortable scenes I've ever seen on the show. Imagine being surrounded by familiar faces and yet none of them are who they are; it was like some horrible mirror universe sequence.

Sawyer wasn't there for Kate's awkward moment, because he was off on some secret mission for MiB-Locke. A mission that raised even more questions, while setting the stage for what will likely be the ultimate conflict for the season.

Many Lost fans are familiar with the show's frequent use of philosophers' names. USA Today has a very helpful rundown of all the philosophers used so far, as well as a character-based analysis of each one. A lot of the information might be review for devoted fans, but the article includes an "expert comment" section with some unique interpretations of the characters.

John Locke: The fictional John Locke describes himself as a man of faith. The real Locke was more of a man of science. USA Today's expert mentions that Locke the philosopher believed that "action is based on experiences," and that the show's flashbacks demonstrate that view.