LOST in Translation V.1

My friends, is there anything better than watercooler television? I love that conversation the day after shocking television and I live for discussions of LOST. My coworkers at my last job and I would talk about all our crazy theories for the entire 8 hours of work the day after a new episode aired.

Now, I'm hoping to bring that conversation to a new forum, here on my blog. I understand my blog is not supposed to be about LOST. I also understand that other people have far more sophisticated blogs/Web sites that track all things LOST. But this is my blog, dammit, and I would love to converse with you guys about your LOST theories.

So for this year only, we're going to celebrate the brain attack that is LOST. Please share your theories in the comments and keep it nice; no berating other commenters! And if you want to read the best LOST blog in the history of the universe, make sure to stop by Doc Jensen's blog for Entertainment Weekly. He does the most amazing job of breaking down the hidden clues and sharing his theories, based on his encyclopedic memory. If you don't have an encyclopedic memory, Lostpedia is your friend. And without further ado ....

LOST SPOILERS!!! LOST SPOILERS!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU VALUE YOUR LOST EXPERIENCE!!!!

So, let's recap. We saw two possibilities: life if the plane hadn't crashed and life on the island if the bomb didn't work (or if it did, as Juliet says). Right off the bat, this raises a question.

1. Did we see an alternate reality or two realities, happening at the same time and we pick which one is real?

My theory: Not sure about this one. I have a feeling this is alternate simultaneous realities, kinda like the plot of the newest Star Trek movie. I've always felt that, for whatever reason, the island forces the Losties to face their demons (sometimes literally). That theory seemed to be proven when the safe landing reality started to lead our Losties down their original, not-so-great paths. Charlie overdosed and got arrested. John had the walkabout experience, but still can't walk. Jack's dad is STILL missing.

In the safe landing reality, people with the potential to change each other's lives are also introduced. Jack offers to try to repair Locke's spinal cord. Kate jumps in a cab with Claire (whose baby she once stole/raised).

It seems to me that if it continues, the safe landing reality could be course-correcting. Does that term sound familiar? That's because Desmond learned in season 3 that the future can be predicted and delayed, but not changed. This is a fancy sci-fi version of what most of us call "meant to be."

Speaking of Desmond, that leads me to my second question:

2. Where did Desmond go?

One minute Desmond was on the plane, sitting next to Jack. Jack goes to save Charlie and when he returns, Desmond is gone and Rose didn't notice where he went. We don't see him exit the plane or in the airport. What was he doing on the plane in the first place? THOUGHTS? I have no ideas.

3. Who the hell are those indigenous people?

I have a pretty hard time keeping track of the groups of people on the island. We've got the crash survivors (Beach people, Tail people), the Dharma group, the followers of Ben who came after Dharma, the Others (seemingly a mishmash of Dharma survivors, kidnapped plane crash survivors and maybe indigenous people), and who knows who else.

Jack and company were sent by Jacob (via Hurley who SEES DEAD PEOPLE) to the Smoke Monster lair to save Sayid. They ended up at a temple where I thought I spied jughead, the bomb, which means we might be back in the camp where Ellie and Widmore were ruling the roost.

I'm not sure I can handle more characters, but I do love the fella who was translating (he was great in "Me and You and Everyone We Know"). What do we think is in the restorative water? Why is the hourglass necessary?

I have a LOT more I could babble about, but I was saving the best, most intriguing for last: Jacob vs. His Enemy (who I call the Man in Black).

The appearance of Jacob and the Man in Black in last year's finale might have been one of the most intriguing LOST moments ever for me. I believe Jacob and the Man in Black signify Good vs. Evil, much in the way Christians interpret God vs. Satan.

As you may recall, in the finale the Man in Black asked Jacob why he constantly brings people to the island just to see them fight and kill. Jacob says any move is progress, which I think could be the argument for why God allows wars to occur.

For any of you behind on your Old Testament (don't feel bad, I had to google lots of this), here's some Biblical background for some names that might have inspired LOST characters:

• Jacob: Isaac's second-born son, twin brother of Esau. At the urging of his mother, tricked Esau into receiving his birthright blessing; Esau vowed to kill Jacob. Saw the ladder to Heaven and heard the voice of God. Wrestled an angel.
• Rachel: Jacob's long-barren wife. Died in childbirth with Benjamin. (Juliet's long-barren sister was named Rachel; Ben's mother died in childbirth and Ben fancied himself Jacob's favored one.)
• Ben: Jacob's son.

So, let's say the LOST tale somewhat parallels the Biblical one. I like the idea that Jacob and the Man in Black are brothers in some way (like Jacob and Esau) and that somehow Jacob received a birthright from some higher being, thus creating a centuries-old rivalry.

I have long held the theory that the smoke monster had the ability to manifest in the form of people's demons and as soon as the Man in Black appeared last year, I told Sean I thought he was the smoke monster. I was SO HAPPY to see that turned out to be true.

This leads to several questions:

4. Why couldn't the Man in Black kill Jacob himself?

If the smoke monster/Man in Black can manifest into other forms, why couldn't he devise a scheme to kill Jacob earlier? And is Jacob dead at all? I've already seen some theories that Jacob is now reincarnated in Sayid; that hadn't occurred to me, as I thought he was using Hurley simply to warn the Others about the smoke monster. Sometimes I miss some pretty obvious clues, which is why I like talking about it to all of ya'll.

5. Where is home?

The Man in Black said he wants to go home. Where is home? What's keeping him from there?

6. What power does the black powder have against the smoke monster?

The Others and that one dude sprinkled powder in a circle to keep the monster out. Does the powder serve the same purpose the Dharma electric fence served? How does it work?

7. Who, once and for all, is Richard Alpert?

I thought maybe he has the ability to travel through time (like Desmond) but has better control of it. Now, I'm not so sure. He seems to go back as long as Jacob and the Man in Black.

Okay, that's it for my crazy theories. Have it out in the comments!