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Bummer...it all goes downhill from Episode 3.

Episode 3 was lame. I was worried that the Jack/Kate/Sayid/etc portion of the show was going to be weak because Ep. 3 was so boring compared to Eps. 1 & 2. Luckily Ep. 5 quickly dismissed my fear for that story arc!
I thought it'd bounce back and forth between Jack/Kate/Sayid/etc one week and "Locke"/Sun/Richard/etc the next week...doesn't look like that's the case.

So "Esau" is Jacob's nemesis, who we've been referring to as the "man in black"? So much easier to have a name rather than a multi-word description.

I like the idea of matter/anti-matter!!!

If Spock were Locke.

jackface!

"Esau" is an unofficial fan name given to the Man in Black, based on a perceived connection to the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, brothers who were rivals for birthright. Esau deceived their father to receive it. Some see a metaphorical connection to how Zombie-Locke tricked Ben Linus into killing Jacob. Allegedly the MIB/Jacob conflict goes back to at least the 19th century, possibly much earlier.

Favorite interchange of the season thus far:

Ben Linus: "So you're the smoke monster."
Not-Locke: "Let's not call names."

If you dare wrap your LOST-battered brain around it, ponder the puzzling significance of The Beard:

I could swear that I saw this guy on Bum Fights..

Okay, let's talk about what the hell happened tonight!!!

Did this blow anyone else's mind?

I'm honestly in shock about the episode.

I thought it was kinda anti-climactic. It's obvious that Team Vader is shaping up for a fight against Team Skywalker. Sayid didn't have a chance in hell of not being turned over to the other side. Now the big question is when is Claire going to go all apeshit on Kate. I think putting all the killers on the dark side is a bit too obvious, but I'm not complaining in the grand scheme of things.

I was pretty blown away by this episode. Quite a bit of stuff going on. As much as I don't like what Claire has turned in to, I hate Kate and always have, I hope she takes her out. Haha! I will be sad if Jin and Sun don't come together on a positive note, although I'm extremely worried now.

Where was Richard? He was on his way to the temple!

They've made it really clear that it was going to be good vs evil. I've been expecting it for a while. Not disappointed at all, but let's discuss more.

I could not agree with you more on Claire offing Kate. Kate has always been annoying. So who's left on team good really? Jack, Hurley, Miles?

Remember the flaming arrow attack at the beach? When the arrows started raining down and everyone scattered, the story followed the main characters, but of the people left behind, Rose and Bernard were the only survivors and have been happily living in the forest away from all of the drama. Oh, and Vincent survived, too. This was covered in season 5 "The Incident".

I loved last night's episode! The ending was awesome...loved the music and everyone leaving the temple (w/ evil stares). I like the direction this season is going!

Where's Michael and his son and the dog?

I bet Rose and Bernard are the "adam and eve" of the island from season 1.

Thats what I think. I love that they found peace on the island and we're basically like "You people and your time traveling nonsense need to chill out and stop and smell the roses."

I was thinking that, too, but "Adam and Eve" are wearing Dharma jumpsuits. We have never seen Bernard or Rose in Dharma clothing. Not yet, anyway.

All the promos talked about the death of Ben. I'm reading on different forums and people seem really upset that he didn't die. In my opinion he did. Off the island he made an unselfish decision by putting Alex first. On the island he came back with Ilana to the beach. I really feel like his old self has died.

The camps are really taking shape. I really like where this season is headed right now.

I also think it's cool how Jack is sort of understanding his importance. I love this show.

Yes, I also like the transforamtion that Ben has went thru and last night was one of the best Ben (centric) episodes.

I'm looking forward to where this season will take us and how the flashes come into play (I have my theories).

that is the weakest excuse i've ever heard!

off with his head! (i was also disappointed)

Great episode last night! Loved seeing the similarities/differences between the two Bens. What was the history lesson he was teaching at the beginning? I just remember it mirroring part of the LOST story.
So is everyone who Jacob touched (or gave something to) now unable to kill themselves? Will they not age like Richard? When Hurley asked Richard why he didn't age he said that Jacob gave him a gift, that he touched him. Well Jacob either touched or gave something to Sun/Jin, Kate, Jack, Hurley, and Sawyer.
Also wondering if Jacob's replacement will be chosen simply by being the last one standing. Do all but one of the candidates need to die before Jacob's replacement is "chosen"? I seem to remember Essau saying something along the lines of "they come, they kill each other, and it all starts over again", and that this was tied to them being "trapped" on the island. I can't imagine them killing off all of these characters, but it's just something that popped into my head while watching last night.

The history lesson was about Napoleon and his exile to the island of Elba, which you could take as a reference to Essau (Smokey, or whoever), or maybe even a reference to Jacob.

That's right! And I actually took it to be about Ben. Ben was the leader, but was essentially exiled when Locke came onto his scene and usurped his role as leader of the Others.

is that why the fuse that jack lit stopped when jack stayed?!?