8:40 PM: we managed to fix an almost devastating HD channel audio sync issue and now we only have to wait for the rest of season 5 to play out in the last 20 minutes. Come on, Jacob! Less talky talky, more stabby stabby!

8:41 PM: Katie has some kind of elaborate fate vs free will theory on Jacob and his enemy and the whole show, and wants to get that out there before it either becomes extremely obvious or completely wrong.

9:01 PM: Katie pours some sparkling cider as the Previously On plays.

9:05 PM: So he has an inexplicable wound, but doesn’t remember anything? What is going to happen?

9:06 PM: SHARK!

9:08 PM: Me: The island’s underwater! And dilapidated!
Katie: Well, I don’t think it’d be underwater and not dilapidated.

9:12 PM: If that was Jack’s dream, that’s weak. Also, Sawyer…PUNCH!

9:16 PM: It can’t be a dream. Alternate reality? I have faith that this will be explained later this episode.

9:24 PM: The little cameos are great. Arzt? Frogurt? Boone!

9:35 PM: Oh, Sayid. Isn’t kicking down an airplane bathroom door a little bit…suspicious?

9:47 PM: The ash will save you! Wait…nope. Maybe against a dumber smoke monster.

10 PM: So is one of the main storylines this season going to be about Sawyer conning Hurley out of his lottery money? What an intriguing and bizarre idea.

10:05 PM: As Katie puts it, why not take Juliet to the temple as well? Will the magic French heals not work for her? Also, what is in that guitar case? Could it be Charlie in a contortionist pose?

10:25 PM: It’s an ankh! With a message inside! Thanks, modern-day samurai other-other and hippie translator.

11 PM: It’s over!

OK, I’ll admit…I’m a bit confused. The promo for next week says that the time for questions is over, but this episode raised a lot of questions.

First and foremost, what’s with the alternate realities? Is one real and the other not? Are both real? Will Fake Locke ever get a real name? Who are these other others? Why is Fake Locke disappointed in everyone? Where is he taking Richard?

I’m intrigued by the possibilities of a 815-lands-in-LAX world. Kate on the run again, Sawyer conning Hurley, Jack fixing Locke. These possibilities are fresh ways to tell stories about some of our favorite characters. But how does that tie in to island life?

Juliet clearly has some kind of knowledge on the plan working. How much did she know or realize before she died?

I have a few ideas and theories bouncing around in my head, but I’ll need some time to digest and process them into something coherent. It was an enjoyable episode and I’m both really glad that Lost is back and undeniably sad that this is the last season. I can’t wait to see what happens the rest of this season.