LOST in Translation V.15

Watching LOST last night, I had a feeling I couldn't quite pinpoint. It would be unfair to call it disappointment, because it's nice to get answers and nice to have theories validated. It's more complex than that...it's the feeling of getting what you always wanted and realizing it's not what you wanted at all.

Insert cliche about the journey, not the end here.

But seriously. The fun of LOST has always been the mystery, and I'm wrestling with the knowledge I now have. But that doesn't mean we've got it all figured out. Far from it, in fact. I'm just saying I don't think there's any way the end could be as satisfying as the journey.

That said, here were my thoughts as my coworker and I hashed our feelings out today:

• Full circle: The episode opened with a shot of Jack waking up, a classic shot that has been repeated throughout the show and was the first shot of the series. That shot signified that things would be familiar and different. In no way is that more true than when Jack, after patiently listening to Jacob's explanation for himself, signed up to be The One. My first impression: That was WAY too easy. WAY too easy.
• Jacob: The whole scene of Jacob explaining himself felt like the writers were up against the wire, out of time, and decided to give the man of mystery a case of verbal diarrhea. He just spewed it all out there. His explanation of how he chose the LOSTies (you were alone, just like me) didn't make sense to me, since he met many of them when they were children. How did he know then who they would become? Is this a case for the idea of predestination? If so, why do some of them seem redeemed in the sideways world?
• Water into Wine? I thought the moment when Jacob blessed the "chalice" for Jack to drink from was corny beyond corny. For a moment I considered that he was putting on a performance, but we know from last week's flashback that he takes his mom's word as truth and believes in the power of the drink. Do you think Jack gulped down water or wine? And do you think it has real powers or a placebo effect? Jack certainly acted like the drink gave him super powers as he gulped it down.
• Off the List: So Kate was crossed off the list because she's a mother? Why is she still around then?
• BEN: Okay, enough of that jibber jabber. The real story of last night's episode was BEN, back in black, evil as ever. I'm a long-time lover of Ben's dark side, but when he shot Widmore and was all "you killed my daughter!," even I rolled my eyes. What happened to that newfound penitence? That disappeared pretty damn fast. But say what you will, Ben is the definition of a survivor. I'm wondering what his angle is at this point. He's killed Widmore and enacted his revenge. He's outlasted nearly everyone. What does he expect to get in exchange for helping the Man in Black? Surely his promise of a lonely island won't be kept; the MiB is a very adept liar.
• SIDEWAYS BEN: Was anyone else insanely uncomfortable during the exchange between Ben and Danielle? I was like, "ewwwwwww don't kiss," but it would actually be a great thing for Ben. He has always lacked a partner, and Sideways Alex has already been the daughter he dreamt of in island times. But we know Sideways Ben has seen flashes of his other life (the beating Desmond gave him on the docks) and how long will it be until the pieces come together? How will Ben respond when he has flashes of memory about the death of Alex?
• Come together: Desmond is herding the LOST cats to the benefit at Miles' dad's museum, it seems, but what will happen when they get there? How will Sawyer get there (a tip from Miles, perhaps?)? Is Desmond going to fire up a jet to the alternate world, bring an army to fight the MiB? What tricks are still left up this fail-safe's sleeve?

So what happens next, you guys? I have no idea how one would kill the Man in Black. Part of me wonders if the only way to kill him would be to destroy his origin: the Island's light. That would give the LOSTies another fine paradox: how to kill the man without destroying the one thing they pledged to protect?

If I'm wrong about that (which is highly possible), I'm still not sure how I'd like to see the show end. Do I want them to leave the island and return to their Island Lives at Home? Do I want to see their lives converge into one with the Sideways lives? That would defeat everyone's quantum physics theories.

I just don't know what to think. How about you?