316, Initial Reaction

All I have to say is Desmond and Penny better not be dead. As much as I love Ben, we'll be finished if he murdered one or both of them, and especially little Charlie. That being said, I loved this episode, the opening, and it's probably my favorite after Jughead.

Questions:

• Why did Jack land on the island the same way but no one else?
• Why did Hurley have a guitar case?
• Who or what convinced Sayid, Hurley and Kate to get on the plane?
• What happened to Aaron? Who did Kate give him to?
• Where did Ben go? Is his promise to an old friend his promise to Widmore?
• Why was Ben all bloodied up? Did he go after Desmond and Penny?
• Are Desmond and/or Penny dead? What about Charlie?
• Will Desmond get back to the island?
• Who created The Lamp Post and the pendulum?
• How and why does Ms. Eloise Hawking know so much?
• How is the island constantly moving?
• Where are the other places around the world that are connected to the island?
• Did John Locke really commit suicide?
• Why does Jack need to give Locke something that was his father's?
• What is the significance of Jack's grandad, Ray?
• Is Ray trying to get back to the island?
• Why is Sayid handcuffed and being escorted onto the plane?
• Who is the woman that is escorting him?
• What is the significance of the man that talked to Jack and was on the plane?
• Where's Walt? Where's Desmond?
• Who and where are the other passengers on the plane?
• Where did the plane go? Did it really crash?
• Why is there a flash when they land on the island?
• Where are Sun, Ben, and Sayid?
• Why is Jin working for DHARMA? Are they all working for them?

Notes:

• I was surprised to see this opening scene so soon. It has been my speculation for a long time (since about Season 2) that we would see the opening scene of The Pilot again. I flipped out a little bit when I saw this, talking to myself out loud, of course.
• The photograph of the island in The Lamp Post is from the US Army, labeled Top Secret, and was dated September 23, 1954, which is almost exactly 50 years prior to the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.
• Hurley was reading another comic book in the Airport, called El último Hombre by LOST writer Brian K. Vaughn.
• There was a Virgin Mary statue in Ms. Hawking's office.
• When the Ajira plane takes off, there is an Oceanic plane in the background.
• Locke's suicide note to Jack said "Jack, I wish you had believed me. JL"
• I think that Jack is a believer now.
• Where's Vincent? He needs to wake Jack up!
• Ms. Hawking said that the island has an energy that is connected to other places around the world. One of the places could possibly be the place in Australia that Rose and Bernard visited a man with healing powers, Isaac of Uluru.
• I really liked the scene where Jack is putting his father's shoes on Locke, saying that wherever he is now, that he's probably laughing his ass off.
• I think that Jack's grandfather, Ray, may be seen again. Perhaps he's been on the island.
• Ms. Hawking told Jack that it's a leap of faith, just as Locke did.
• I really hope that Desmond beat the crap out of Ben, or somehow, Sayid showed up and beat the face off him. I'm going to be really upset if Desmond or Penny are dead, and killing their son, Charlie, would just be horrible. I am really going to hate that if it's true. I strongly believe that it will ruin Desmond's entire story. Can we please just have one happy ending?
• I'm glad that Desmond had a little explosion on Ms. Hawking. Watch out for that big ass pendulum, though, Desmond.
• It was cool to find out why Christian Shephard was wearing tennis shoes in his coffin.
• Alright, Kate, it's kind of time to stop having sex with dudes just because you're upset about something. Not that I mind, it's just getting a little old, and in my opinion, really makes her character very one-dimensional.
• Jack, you don't hear a noise, and then go looking for it in the dark.
• Also, what happened to Aaron better not be stupid.
• I thought Matthew Fox's performance was very strong in this episode. Especially in the scene where he tells Kate about the shoes, and where he puts the shoes on Locke's body.
• When Ben calls Jack, he's at a phone booth by the marina.
• Ben was reading Ulysses on the plane.
• Really, Ben? Your mom taught you how to read? Your ghost mom? Even when telling a joke, Ben just can't help himself from lying about something.
• Sayid seemed to no longer have a beard on the plane, and didn't have any speaking lines.
• Frank Lapidus was flying the plane! I'm so glad he's back.