Sayid is not a Zombie.

Okay. This week, being last to post, I planned to mull over everyone's individual posts and theories and give myself plenty of time to soak it all in, ending the week with a sparkly, shiny firecracker of a post.

Then I got sick and proceeded to not even think about Lost for a good three days while I slept my weekend away, and now here I am on Monday night, scrambling to finish this week's post as if it were a research paper for school I waited until the last minute to complete. No, that I'll have to do after I finish writing this post. Ha.

So anyway, first, in reference to what the rest of you are saying:

Hydra - I agree with pretty much everything you said about Sawyer. In fact, I found myself really torn on whether I am glad he ran away from the Temple or if I want him to get back there as soon as possible because of what they're all saying about needing to have everyone there. And, I loved seeing Kate getting put in her place, even if I'm probably the only person left in this fandom who doesn't totally hate Kate.

On that note - I have to say. I'm sorry, Hydra, but I am on the opposing team here. I really liked the Kate and Claire exposition. Obviously everyone has already made all the timeline connections (Kate assisting - kind of - in the delivery of Claire's baby in both realities, Ethan being there, etc.) but beyond that, I just.. really enjoyed the LAX timeline in this episode. I liked the really heartbreaking scene where Kate left Claire on the curb without her luggage, the first time Kate sees she's pregnant, Kate going back to return the suitcases, Claire asking Kate to come in with her to meet the adopting parents - it was all just sweet.

So, I know there are definitely people (myself included, most of the time) who are fearful that the LAX timeline might end up being a complete waste of time, but I have to say that this week, I liked it. But that's probably just the sappy girl in me.

Speaking of Claire - okay, there's no need to even say this, but the ending was EPIC. And I am not the kind of person who uses the word epic. I cannot WAIT to see what Rousseau!Claire Jungle Princess has been up to.
That was an interesting connection about the sickness that Rousseau's people caught in an earlier season being the same one that Claire and now Sayid have. I'm a little confused how Claire would catch it and just disappear into the jungle, unless someone captured her first, but that's something I am hoping we find out in the next episode. I am really liking that "armies" theory you brought up, though. I hadn't considered that if Jacob recruits people just by touching them, then it's likely the smoke monster/Esau would collect people in a similar manner. If he IS the "bad guy", it's interesting that they become sick or "infected" when chosen; a much more negative experience than being bought a lunch box or handed a pen.

Also, Arrow, I liked what you said about the reincarnation. I remember Sawyer said something along the lines of not wanting to kill Jack because he deserves to "rot on this rock just like the rest of us" -- totally fits with what you said about Sayid being sent back to the island for being an ass in real life.

I dunno, maybe the LAX timeline will prove to show us that the Oceanic Six survivors are better off on the island. Or something. Maybe their lives somehow get even MORE messed up in the real world than they are now. Though, that would be pretty hard to accomplish, given the circumstances.

Okay, on to the notes I took while watching this a week ago.

Two things I wrote down that I think have been sufficiently theorized by everyone else already are:
"Sayid didn't pass 'the test'?"
"Infection?"

Also, I wrote down that Sawyer seemed particularly angry when talking about Sayid. His crack about how he's just a torturer who shoots children - Hydra, I agree, I hope Sawyer stays like this the whole season. It's a strange dynamic but he was far too accommodating for far too long. I will allow a season's worth of me outbursts.

Favorite line of the episode:
Jack: "Did I say something funny?"
Lennon: "Doubt it. He doesn't really have a sense of humor."

Until next week,

Swan