Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

This is the sixth edition of Logical Fallacies 101, after ad hominem, association, argument from ignorance, begging the question, and argument by consensus. The series is now old enough for grade school.

These are meant to be quick logic primers. Think flash cards for debate. The basic definition of a fallacy established earlier in the series is...

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

This week, we run with a fallacy your mother probably warned you about...

Those who read the allegedly leaked script probably already had reservations about the TV adaptation of Wonder Woman. From her Katy Perry freak-out to a frank discussion about her action figure's bust size, it looked like a disaster that only David E. Kelly could bring.

Now we have our first look at the costume, and... no. Just no. Why would you do this to an American icon?

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

I've gotten a lot of very kind and appreciative feedback on this series, from people learning about fallacies for the first time, those needing a refresher course, and people who just want something to point to during a debate. This is the fifth edition of Logical Fallacies 101, after ad hominem, association, argument from ignorance, and begging the question. 

These are meant to be quick, easily-digestible logic primers. The basic definition of a fallacy established earlier in the series is...

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

Today we're going to take a break from misused words, and instead steer towards a fallacy that's disturbingly popular...

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

The fallacy train forges onward, instilling knowledge to all who behold it. This is the fourth edition of Logical Fallacies 101, after ad hominem, association, and the argument from ignorance. 

To remind everyone of the goal, these articles serve as simple logic primers, and I'm addressing them one at a time to make it easily digestible. The basic definition of a fallacy established earlier in the series is...

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

The argument from ignorance might be a popularly mis-cited fallacy, but today we're going to tackle another one you hear all the time. It really begs the question...

You've probably heard that phrase plenty of times. Someone might say:

Paul had to go to the hospital after he ate that egg salad sandwich. But he knows he's allergic to mayonnaise, so it begs the question of why he'd order an egg salad sandwich at all.

Poor Paul. While we all feel for him and his rapidly swelling windpipe, this is a misuse of the term. People tend to say something "begs the question" when they mean, "it sorta makes you wonder." Like last week's entry, this is one that people frequently misuse. Unlike last week's entry, people aren't on the right track but slightly off; they're just misusing a figure of speech.

Used accurately, begging the question means someone is makes a statement without proof, but that statement is meaningless without proof. Most often, the accuracy is presumed by the premise, and used as a basis to prove itself, making it a form of circular argument. In simple terms it can be made in one "move" (or statement), but more often it's presented in a tier of statements that build on each other in order to support the first statement.

So as a simple (and popular) example:

When did you stop beating your wife?

This is classic begging the question in one move. The unstated premise is that you beat your wife, and therefore it serves as a verbal trap. There is no way to answer the proper question (when) without indicting yourself as a wife-beater. 

Here's a more controversial, three-step example:

The Bible is the word of God.

The Bible says it is the word of God, and God would not lie.

Therefore, the Bible is the word of God.

Again, the premise is assumed and then proven by the next few steps. Whether the Bible is the word of God or not, you can't use statements from inside the book to prove itself. This is a particularly tricky one, since the intricacies of the English language can make it hard to spot. With a little practice, you'll be calling them out in no time.

Let's take a look at a few political examples:

Obama isn't an American citizen because he's Kenyan.

Sarah Palin can't win for President because she'll lose.

In both cases, the premises (Obama's citizenship, Palin's viability) are presumed from the initial statement. Neither statement offers proof of its claim, it just repeats the premise in a different way. This can make for good banter or an opening statement when formulating your argument, but if you leave it there without offering proof, you're begging the question.

The hospital says Paul will be fine, because he's doing better.

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

So far, we've covered the ad hominem and association fallacies. I'm breaking these down one at a time, and trying to make them fun and simple. Logic can be pretty obtuse, so hopefully treating them in small chunks will make the ideas accessible to everyone. To remind you of the basic definition I'm running with:

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

Today, we dip into a commonly cited -- and commonly mis-stated -- fallacy: the argument from ignorance.

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

I introduced this idea with last week's piece, Ad Hominem (Attack the Source). I was glad to see people talking, agreeing, disagreeing, and making notes of it for later. To reiterate the objective, this series is meant to raise awareness of logical fallacies by breaking it into easily digestible chunks. As I said last week:

Put most simply, a fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

Now let's dive right in to this week's entry, the Association Fallacy. It's a fun double-dip, and you've probably seen it before. Heck, you've probably seen it this week.

Is the constant mockery of these bloviating right-wing demagogues really the best use of precious center-left media time? I think it's likely to backfire on liberals, for several reasons:

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an effort to help foster more reasonable, logical debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

We all know that Newsvine can be a contentious place, and everyone makes a debate misstep from time to time. This series is meant to inform and explain what logical fallacies are, outline common fallacies in detail, and explain why they're unacceptable forms of debate rhetoric. And, being that it's a fairly dry subject, I'll attempt to inject some humor and light-heartedness into the discussion.

Put most simply, a fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

The finale has come and gone, and we've all had a little time to adjust to the idea that Lost isn't coming back. (That is, unless the creators make that Hurley/Miles buddy cop show I've been pitching.)

But it's probably best to accept that it's over and move on. Since we're approaching a few months past the finale, I thought now would be a good time to take a look back and reflect on the show. Plus, there are a few announcements I've been holding onto, and there's no time like the present to open up the discussion about them as well.

The dramatic conclusion to Lost answers some questions, leaves others open to interpretation, and finishes on a twist that puts the entire season - or perhaps the entire show - into question.

The Island is a dangerous place.

Lostpedia lists forty-three Main and Supporting characters who have died during the show's six-year tenure, averaging to about seven deaths per season. The Smoke Monster, or Island Magic, or greedy opportunists have racked up quite a body count.

Now that we're nearing the season finale, all bets are off. The poignant deaths of Sun and Jin were to remove the viewers' safety net, to reintroduce danger to our major cast of characters. After six years of familiarity, we assume that many of these characters are safe. Now we know they aren't.

Jacob anoints a new Protector of the Island, as Nemesis comes across a new piece of information that could prove dangerous.

Jacob and Nemesis part ways as boys, taking different paths in life with dire consequences.

Jack chooses to help with the plan to steal away on the sub, but Sawyer's mistrust of Nemesis has dire consequences.

The final season is starting to wrap up. It's time for our community to take a fond look back at the characters and moments that the show has made so iconic.

In my last episode wrap-up, I teased that we would be remembering the show's best moments through community-created awards, nicknamed the Smokies. I received dozens of award ideas, and I've distilled them in the categories in the Comments section below. If you don't see your category, sorry! I picked and chose some that I thought would put up decent competition among the true believers.

Jack and Sawyer enact a plan to split from Nemesis' group, but Jack has second thoughts about the escape. Meanwhile, Desmond continues his efforts to connect the Losties in the sideways universe.

Welcome, one and all, to the second edition of Newsvine Next Level.

With April 15 upon us, many Americans have already submitted their income taxes, and many others are feverishly preparing for last-minute trips to the post office. But a concerning report was recently issued by a Washington research center, claiming that nearly half of Americans escape income tax altogether. The research found that 47% of Americans are exempt, either based on low income, or on credits, deductions and exemptions outweighing their amount owed.

Hurley slowly realizes a lost love as he gains confidence in leadership, while Desmond's presence challenges Nemesis.

Desmond's alternate life is missing crucial elements, and certain hands of fate guide him towards seeing that his life isn't what it could have been.

Sun and Jin search for each other as Nemesis reveals the nature of his inability to leave the Island.

Richard reflects on his own place in the struggle between Jacob and Nemesis, as he considers defecting to the other side.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

ABC Preview:

Richard Alpert faces a difficult choice.

The Big Reveal: Richard Alpert was brought to the Island in the 1800s, and Nemesis tried to trick him into killing Jacob.

Summary

Ilana wakes up in a hospital bed. Jacob approaches her and pulls up a chair. He says he's sorry he couldn't make it sooner. She says she's happy to see him. He says he needs her help, and she agrees. He tells her there are six people he needs her to protect, and that it's what she's been preparing for. She asks who they are, and he tells her they're candidates.

Jack asks what the candidates are for, and Sun explains they're candidates to replace Jacob. She says she, Jack, and Hurley are all members. Frank asks what they should do now. Ilana says she doesn't know, and Jack asks who does know.

Ilana asks Jacob what to do after she brings them to the Temple. He says to ask Ricardus.

Hurley asks who "Ricardus" is. Ilana points to Richard and asks him what they do next. He laughs and says he has no idea. He points out that he was trying to kill himself, and asks if that sounds like someone who has a plan. He says Jacob was lying when he said he had a plan. Jack asks what he's talking about. Richard tells Jack that he's dead. He says they're not on an Island, they never were. He says they're in hell, so he's not interested in what Jacob says. He claims it's time they stop listening to him and start listening to someone else. He says that's exactly what he's going to do. He picks up a torch and leaves.

=================

Richard walks through forest. Ilana cocks a gun and says she's going after Richard. She says he knows what to do next, and that she trusts what Jacob said. Jack says that he's lost his mind, and wouldn't be talking about listening to someone else. Sun tells him that he meant Locke. Jack says Locke is dead. Ben tells him that it's not "exactly" Locke. Jack walks to Hurley, who's speaking Spanish. Jack asks what he's saying. Hurley says that he isn't speaking to Jacob, and Jack presses him. Hurley says it's not Jacob, and tells him it has nothing to do with him.

Ben tells Ilana that Jack is right to advise against going after Richard. Ilana asks what makes him so sure. Ben says he's known him since he was 12 years old. Frank asks if they met when they were kids. Ben says he was a kid, but Richard was the same. He doesn't age. Frank asks how that happened.

Richard, dressed in a tunic and with a beard, rides on horseback in 1867. He comes to a cabin and tells a woman, Isabella, to go back to sleep. He notices her fever and puts a wet rag on her forehead. She tells him it's alright, then goes into a coughing fit. He unfolds the rag to see blood from her cough, and says he's going to get a doctor. She kisses her crucifix and gives it to him to give to the doctor. He starts to refuse, but she says to take it. He starts to cry, and she tells him to close his eyes. She tells him they'll always be together, and she kisses his cheek. He promises to save her.

He rides through the rain, and bursts into a doctor's house ignoring a servant. The doctor, sitting at a table, says to get him some blankets. Richard explains about his wife, and begs him to come. The doctor says it's a half-day's journey and refuses to ride in the pouring rain. He offers medicine to save her life, but says it's very expensive. Richard offers anything, and the doctor gets up. Richard gives him some coins, and the doctor asks if that's all he has. Richard gives him the necklace and tells him that now he has everything. The doctor tosses it aside and says it's worthless. Richard begs, saying he'll work off the debt. They two get into a struggle, and Richard throws him against a table, killing him. The servant, coming in with blankets, witnesses it. Richard takes the medicine and runs outside and onto his horse to ride back.

When he arrives at his house, Isabella has already died. He checks for a pulse and cries over her body. A guard enters the house and finds him there.

Richard reads a Bible inside a jail cell. A priest comes with some food and asks to see his Bible. Richard explains that he's been teaching himself, that he was going to go to the New World and start a family with his wife. The priest asks if he's ready to make his confession. Richard kneels and begs forgiveness for killing a man. The priest refuses to grant him absolution. Richard tells him it was an accident, but the priest insists. Richard says there must be some way to earn forgiveness. The priest suggests penance. Richard says he'll do anything, but the priest says he doesn't have time. Tomorrow he'll be hanged. He tells Richard that the devil waits for him in hell, and he leaves.

=================

Two guards come in to restrain Richard, and the priest tells them to blindfold him. He recites a prayer as they take him down a hall. A British man asks if this is him, and then checks his teeth. He asks the priest if he speaks English, and the priest tells Mr. Whitfield yes. He asks Richard if he speaks English, but when Richard is silent he tells them to get him a new one. Richard cries out that he speaks English, and the man asks if he works with his hands. Richard says yes, and the man asks if he wants to go to the New World. Richard says yes, and Whitfield takes him. He says he's now property of Magnus Hanso.

On the Black Rock, the prisoners below deck see the Island. Richard looks out and sees the statue, as the prisoners cry out that they see the Island guarded by the devil. The waves rise so high that the Black Rock crashes into the statue.

Hours later, in daylight, Richard wakes up. He says God has spared them. Above the deck, they hear the captors talking about being stranded. The prisoners shout for help. Whitfield comes down into the prisoner deck, pulls his sword, and murders the prisoners one by one. Richard shouts what he's doing. Whitfield explains that they're shipwrecked with limited supplies and only five officers. Richard holds his hands up in surrender and asks why Whitfield is doing this. Whitfield says if he freed him, it would only be a matter of time before he tried to kill him. He draws his sword, and above the cabin they hear the sounds of the Smoke Monster. It kills the other officers. Whitfield asks what happened, and then the black smoke kills him too. Richard tries to break free, and turns to see the smoke heading towards him. He closes his eyes and recites a prayer, and when he opens them again the smoke is gone.

=================

Richard tries to loosen a floor board, and then hears a storm outside. Water drips in and he struggles to stretch to it for a drink. Hours later, he's still trying to loosen the nail from the floorboard, and finally gets it. He uses the nail to wear down his chains, but can't loosen them enough. He wakes up finding a boar in the cabin. The boar runs by, knocking the nail out of his hands. He struggles to reach it but can't.

Later, he sees a dark figure, Isabella. She rushes to hug him, and she tells him that they're both dead and in hell. She says she's come to save him before the devil comes back. She asks if he's seen the devil too, and he says he thinks he has. They hear a noise, and he tells her to go now. He says he wants to save her like he promised, and she leaves the cabin. He hears a scream, and he shouts to leave her alone, and then crumples on the floor crying.

A man enters with a lantern and some cups with a drink, and touches Richard's shoulder. Richard slowly wakes up with a start. He sees the man in black, who offers him water. Nemesis calls himself a friend. Richard asks if they're in hell, and Nemesis says yes. Richard observes that he wasn't on the ship, and Nemesis says he was here a long time. Richard asks about his wife, and explains about the Black Smoke. Nemesis says that probably means "he" has her. Richard asks, who? Nemesis tells him he knows who. He tells Richard he wants to be free too, and offers to unlock him with the keys if Richard will help him get free. Nemesis unlocks him, and says it's good to see him out of those chains. He says the only way to escape from hell is to kill the devil.

=================

Richard eats a meal, and Nemesis tells him how to get to the statue. He tells him the ship broke it into pieces, and that's where he'll find the devil. He gives Richard a knife and tells him that if he speaks it's too late, since he's very persuasive. Richard asks how he can kill black smoke. Nemesis says he's the black smoke. Richard asks if Isabella was running from him, and Nemesis says she was running from the devil but he couldn't stop him. He says the devil took his humanity and betrayed him. Richard protests that he killed the officers. Nemesis says he'll have to kill him. Richard says murder is wrong, but Nemesis asks if he ever wants to see his wife again. Richard reluctantly says that he does, and Nemesis hands him the knife.

Richard travels to the beach and sees the remains of the statue there. He walks towards it, finding the entrance and drawing his knife. As he approaches, he's hit in the face and falls down. He tries to come again with the knife, and Jacob disarms him. He demands to know who gave it to him. Richard asks where his wife is. Jacob says he doesn't know where his wife is, and asks if she came on the ship. Richard says she's dead, and Jacob asks why he's asking where she is then. Jacob asks if Richard met a man in the jungle dressed in black. Richard explains about the smoke monster and his wife, and the deal they made. Jacob tells him he's not dead, and he's not in hell. Richard insists, and Jacob takes him to the water, holding him under. He brings him back up and asks if he still thinks he's dead. He keeps repeating it, until Richard asks for him to stop. Jacob asks for his name, and Richard tells him. Jacob tells him to get up, and says they need to talk.

=================

Jacob pours Richard a drink. Richard asks what's in the statue, and Jacob says no one comes in unless he invites them in. Richard asks if he's the devil. Jacob says no, and Richard asks who he is. Jacob introduces himself and says he brought the ship to the Island. He tells Richard to think of the wine as what he thinks of hell, or malevolence, evil, darkness. He says it's swirling in the bottle unable to get out because if it did, it would spread. He says the cork is the Island, and it's the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs. He says that the man who sent him thinks everyone is corruptible because sin is their nature. Jacob says he brings people here to prove them wrong. When they get here their past doesn't matter.

Richard asks if others have been here, and Jacob says there have, but they're all dead. Richard asks why he didn't help. Jacob says he wanted them to help themselves, and if he stepped in and did everything for them there would be no point. Richard points out that if he doesn't, Nemesis will. This gives Jacob pause. He asks Richard if he wants a job. Richard asks, doing what? Jacob says, maybe Richard can step in for him. He says he can be an intermediary for the people he brings to the Island. Richard asks what he gets in return, and Jacob asks what he wants. Richard says he wants his wife back. Jacob says he can't do that. Richard says he wants to be absolved of his sins so he doesn't go to hell. Jacob says he can't do that either. Richard off-handedly says he wants to live forever, then. Jacob tells him that, he can do.

Richard approaches Nemesis, who observes that he let him talk to him. Richard says he told him to give him a small white rock. Nemesis says that he'll never be with his wife again, but says he understands, because he can be very convincing. Nemesis tells him that if he ever changes his mind, his offer still stands. Nemesis says he has something for him, and gives him the gold necklace with his wife's crucifix. Richard looks down at it, and Nemesis is gone. Richard kisses it and buries it in the soil, and says goodbye to Isabella.

Richard finds the spot where he buried the necklace and digs it out. He says he changed his mind. He shouts to Nemesis that he was wrong, and that the offer was supposed to stand. Hurley approaches, asking what offer he's talking about. Richard asks if he followed him. Richard shouts that he doesn't know anything, but Hurley interrupts, saying his wife, Isabella, sent him. He says she wants to know why he buried her cross. Richard is skeptical, but he says Isabella is standing right next to him. Isabella says he doesn't believe him, but Hurley says that sometimes it takes people a while. She says to tell him that his English is beautiful, and Hurley tells him. He starts to cry and asks if she's really here. She says something, and Hurley tells Richard that she wants him to close his eyes.

She speaks, and Hurley translates. He says it's not his fault, and as much as he wanted to save her, it was her time. She says he suffered enough. He says he misses her and would do anything to be with her again. She says that they're already together, and kisses his cheek. She disappears, and Hurley tells him that she's gone. Richard puts on the necklace again, and thanks Hurley. He asks Hurley if something is wrong. Hurley says she said one more thing, something Richard has to do. He tells her, she said that he has to stop the man in black from leaving the Island. If he doesn't, Hurley says, they all go to hell.

Nemesis watches from a distance.

Jacob approaches Nemesis, palming the white rock. Jacob says he got his present. Nemesis tells him not to gloat. Jacob says he tried to kill him. Nemesis asks if he expects an apology. Jacob asks why he did it, and Nemesis says he wants to leave. Jacob says as long as he's alive that won't happen, and Nemesis says that's why he wants to kill him. Jacob says if he does, someone will take his place. Nemesis says, he'll kill them too. Jacob hands him the bottle of wine and tells him it's something to pass the time. He says he'll see him around. Nemesis says, sooner than you think, and smashes the bottle.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• "We're in Hell," "We all go to Hell" -- why all the talk of Hell?
• Why did Dogen's comments about Nemesis echo Nemesis' own comments regarding Jacob?
• If Richard was recruited to be a proxy for Jacob, why did he interact personally with candidates?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

How many candles were lit on the doctor's dining room table?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• Sabastian's Guide To Understanding Time Travel, Jumps, Shifts and Multiple Worlds (Sabastian Palpatine)
• "Ab Aeterno"...What does it mean and where does it come from? (Debra Murphy)
• Did Charles Widmore know Ben Linus would kill Jacob? (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: The Package

Sawyer is sent on a mission to ferret out Charles Widmore's team, while the flash-sideways reveals one major choice that changed everything about his life.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

ABC Preview:

Locke tasks Sawyer with a mission.

The Big Reveal: Sawyer is playing both sides of the Nemesis/Widmore conflict against each other so he can escape.

Summary

Sawyer makes tea, and wakes Jin up with a cup of it. Jin startles awake and asks Sawyer how long he was out. Sawyer says a while and thought he could use some rest. Jin asks where everyone is, and Sawyer said Claire and Locke left and said they'd be back by sun up. Jin starts to leave, and Sawyer tells him he's with Locke. Jin says he's not Locke, but Sawyer says whoever he is, he can get them off the Island. Jin says he's not leaving because Sun is still here. Sawyer assures him they won't leave without her. Sawyer says they're back, and the two go out to see the approaching crowd from the Temple, including Sayid and Kate. Kate and Sawyer greet each other solemnly.

Sawyer and a woman, Ava, lay in bed together. She asks if he was supposed to meet someone at 9, and he says yes. She points out that it's 8:42. He rushes to get up, and in doing so his briefcase spills open and bills fall out on the floor. He says she wasn't supposed to see it, and she asks what he's doing with it. He says he's supposed to go 50/50 with an investor, but reassures her it won't take long. When he turns around, Ava is holding a gun to him. She says she can spot a con man and knows about the pigeon drop, and asks how stupid he thinks she is. He says pretty stupid, actually. He tells her the place is surrounded by cops and the room is bugged. He says there's a tracer in the case and all she had to do was take it back to wherever her husband is hiding out. She says if the place is bugged, why hasn't anyone come to save him? He says he doesn't need saving because she's going to do the right thing. But if she doesn't, all he has to do is say the magic word and police will bust in. She cocks her gun, and he says "LaFleur." Cops bust in, with Miles at the fore. He hands him his badge and says to put his clothes on. Ava observes he's a cop, and he says "surprise."

===========

Claire digs through the camp, putting items in her backpack, including a large hunting knife. She looks at her "baby," and Kate comes in to see her with it. Kate asks if this is where she lived, and Claire says yes. Kate asks what the thing in the cradle is, and Claire says it's all she had.

Nemesis gathers everyone and tells them that he knows they're tired, and that they have a lot of questions, and he'll make himself available to answer them, but first they have to keep moving. Cindy asks what happened to the people who stayed behind at the Temple. Nemesis says the black smoke killed them. He leans down and tells the children that what happened was scary, but it's over, and they're with him now. He promises to take care of them. He tells everyone to move out.

Sawyer approaches Kate, asking about Jack and Hurley and everyone. Kate says she saw them leaving on the way back. Sawyer asks about Miles, and Kate says she isn't sure. She asks if he's with Locke now, and he says he's not with anybody.

Sawyer calls a Mr. Cooper about unclaimed property in Alabama. He apologizes for taking his time and crosses a name off the list, then calls another Anthony Cooper. Miles comes with some coffee and asks who Cooper is. Sawyer says he's an old buddy who could hook him up with Lakers tickets. Miles asks if he met him at Palm Springs during his trip last weekend. Sawyer says yes, but the trip is a blur. Miles says he should get it together for his date tonight. Sawyer scoffs at the date, and Miles asks if he wants to die alone. Miles says he can tell him the truth about anything, and asks if he's lying about anything. Sawyer asks, why would I lie?

Nemesis tells everyone that they'll make camp about a quarter-mile ahead in a clearing for a couple of days. Sawyer presses him about leaving the Island, and Nemesis says they'll leave. Sawyer asks when, and Nemesis says they'll talk in private. Once alone, Sawyer asks how Nemesis knew to rescue everyone from the Smoke Monster. Nemesis says he didn't rescue them; he is the Smoke Monster. Sawyer asks if he killed all those people. Nemesis says he gave them the opportunity to leave and they didn't take it. He says they think they're protecting the Island when all he wants is to leave, so it's kill or be killed.

Nemesis takes Sawyer to a beach, and tells him he's going on a boat ride to Hydra Island. He says the Ajira plane is there, but those people didn't come alone. He says those people may want to harm them, so he needs Sawyer to do recon. Nemesis says he's not worried about anyone hurting Sawyer, because he's the best liar he's ever met. He tells Sawyer to do whatever to gain their trust, find out the information, and get back. Sawyer asks why he's doing this. Nemesis says, he'll do it to get on the plane, fly off the Island, and never look back.

===========

Sawyer walks into a bar, and calls Miles to ask about the girl he's supposed to meet. Miles says she's a redhead, and Sawyer goes to meet Charlotte. He says it's a pleasure to meet her, and they sit down to dinner. He teases her about studying archeology, and she says she gets to travel quite a bit. He asks if she's like Indiana Jones, and she says yes. He asks if she has a whip, and she says maybe. She asks about him, and why he became a cop. He says he won't bore her with an explanation, and she says not to treat her like all the other girls that ask him. He says he got to a point in his life where he was either a criminal or a cop, so he chose cop.

Later, the two lay in bed together. He jokes that she should bring the whip next time. He gets up to get her some water, and she asks to borrow his t-shirt. She ruffles through his drawers and finds a folder called "Sawyer" with a photo of his family. She looks through the folder, and he comes in asking what she's doing. He asks what she saw, and she denies seeing anything. He gets angry and yells at her to get out.

Sawyer docks on the Hydra Island and walks through the jungle, finding the cage he was kept in and Kate's dress.

Kate asks Sayid if he believes Locke. Sayid says he believes him. Kate asks if he's alright, and Sayid says no. Claire tackles Kate and draws a knife on her. Kate cries for Sayid to help, and Nemesis pulls Claire off of her. He tells her that Kate did what she had to do, and when she starts yelling, he slaps her. He tells her this is inappropriate. He tells her to leave and that he'll deal with her in a minute. He turns and asks Kate if she's alright. Kate shouts that she's not alright. Nemesis goes to talk to Claire.

Sawyer finds the Ajira plane and looks around. He looks through some supplies outside of it and a camp fire. He finds a path leading away from it and starts to follow, finding a pile of bodies. He hears a noise from the jungle and draws his gun. He sees a figure running, and tackles it. It's a woman, and she says she's the only one left.

===========

Liam Pace asks about his brother at the police precinct, and Sawyer passes him by. Liam says his brother was arrested for a drug charge and Sawyer says it's not his department. Miles tells Sawyer to come with him.

Miles slams Sawyer into a locker and asks if there's something he wants to tell him. Sawyer says she opened the wrong drawer. Miles seems confused, and asks why he was in Australia instead of Palm Springs. He shouts that Sawyer lied to him, and they're supposed to trust each other. He asks what he was doing in Australia again. Sawyer says it's none of his damn business. Miles says that's right, because they're not partners anymore. Sawyer punches in a mirror.

Sawyer offers water to the strange woman and introduces himself. She says her name is Zoe. She says she couldn't believe anyone else from the plane was alive, but he says he's not from that plane. He asks for her story, and she says the plane crashed and they were all waiting for someone to rescue them. She says she was out collecting wood when she heard screaming. When she came back, everyone was dead. She says she spent the last two days dragging their bodies, because she didn't want to leave their bodies out in the sun. She asks if he's alone. He says no, there's a group of people on the main Island and he can take her back there.

Kate cries alone. Nemesis approaches and tells her he's sorry. He says he has to take responsibility for Claire's behavior since he told her the others had her baby. She asks why he'd tell her that. Nemesis asks if she's ever had an enemy that she needed to hate. He says Claire was devastated and needed something to keep her going. But when Kate told her she had Aaron all that hate refocused on her. Kate says that's very insightful for a dead man. Locke says no one's perfect. He says he's sorry it happened and he'll make it right. He promises to keep everyone safe, including her. Kate asks where Sawyer went. He offers his hand and says he'll show her.

Sawyer asks Zoe if the plane will fly. She says she doesn't know, and asks if he came across a pilot. Zoe asks about how many were on his plane, and when he crashed. She asks if they all have guns, and mentions that whoever killed those people might come back. He says they've all got guns. He asks where she was going, and she says Guam to meet her boyfriend. He draws a gun on her and says she's good, but not that good. She asks what he's talking about, and she whistles, calling out men from the forest who draw guns on Sawyer. He asks if her name is Zoe. She asks if his name is Sawyer. He kneels down and says, take me to your leader.

===========

Nemesis takes Kate to the beach and sits down. He tells her he sent Sawyer to the Island. She says he could've just told her that, but he says he wouldn't have been able to talk to her. He says he's not a dead man. He says he knows what she's feeling and what she's going through. He tells her that his mother was crazy. A long time ago, before he looked like this, he had a mother and she was a very disturbed woman. As a result of that, he says, he had some growing pains that he's still working through. He says they could've been avoided had things been different. Now, he says, Aaron has a crazy mother too.

The men lead Sawyer through the brush and he sees some putting up some equipment. He finds himself being brought to the dock where a submarine waits. Zoe sends him into a hatch and says "he" is waiting. Sawyer descends the ladder.

Sawyer comes home, takes off his gun and badge, and makes himself an instant dinner. He watches TV while he eats, as the father from Little House on the Prarie talks about how people aren't really gone when they die. He gets up.

Sawyer visits Charlotte with a flower. She says he has to be joking. He asks if he can come in, and she says absolutely not. She says he can't just kick her out and come back looking sad. She says he blew it, and closes the door on him. He leaves the sunflower outside her door.

Sawyer walks through the sub, and finds one door with padlocks. He asks what's inside, and Zoe says it's none of his business. He enters a room with Charles Widmore, who asks her to leave them. Widmore gets up and introduces himself. He asks if he knows who he is. Sawyer says yes, he sent a freighter to the Island with guys to kill them all. Widmore says it's sad how little he understands. Sawyer says he understands Widmore murdered all those people in the ditch. Widmore says they didn't murder them, but he doesn't expect him to believe that. Sawyer says he doesn't. Widmore asks why did he come to this Island. Sawyer says that John Locke sent him. Widmore counters that Locke is dead, and Sawyer says they both know the guy isn't really John Locke. He tells them he can go to Locke and tell them the coast is clear, and then bring him to his doorstep so Widmore can kill him. Widmore asks what he wants in exchange. Sawyer says the people he comes back with don't get touched, and they get safe passage off the Island. Widmore asks how he knows he can trust him. Sawyer says, the same way he knows he can trust him. He asks if they have an agreement. Widmore extends his hand, and Sawyer shakes it.

===========

Kate walks through the jungle and sees Claire. She draws her gun, but Claire says she's sorry. She says she knows what she did is because she cared about her and Aaron. Claire thanks Kate for taking care of him. She hugs her and apologizes over and over as Kate reassures her.

Nemesis comes to greet Sawyer at the beach. Sawyer asks if he didn't really send him over to find passengers from the plane. Nemesis says no. Sawyer says in case he's interested, they're all dead. He says he doesn't know what happened, but there's a man over there named Widmore that won't let them get on the plane without a fight. He says he counted at least six armed men with him, and tells him about the locked room. He says they're setting up pylons to keep out the Smoke Monster. Nemesis asks what he told him about him. Sawyer tells him that he told him he'd come back and tell him the coast is clear, so they'll be surprised when they change their plan of attack. Nemesis says he appreciates his loyalty. Sawyer says, he said he'd get him off the Island, and a deal is a deal.

Sawyer pulls up to a curb and tells Miles to get in the car. He hands him the "Sawyer" folder, and Miles asks who it is. Sawyer tells him about his history with the man that shot his mother and killed himself. He says Sawyer was a grifter and con man that he's been hunting down since he left the academy. He says he chased a lead in Australia, got a listing of Anthony Coopers. He says he's been calling them, and when he finds the right one, he's going to kill him. Miles asks why he didn't tell him any of this. Sawyer says he thought he'd try to talk him out of it. Miles says he's damn right. Sawyer says, fair enough.

A car suddenly crashes into Sawyer's, and someone gets out and starts running away. Sawyer gives chase and tackles the person, and it's Kate.

Sawyer finds Kate at the fire and asks what's for dinner. She says rabbit, she thinks. He sits down with her and she asks what he's doing running errands. He says he's not running errands for anybody. She says he sent him to the other Island. Sawyer tells her about Widmore and his team who came for Nemesis. Kate asks what he's going to do. He says he's going to let them fight it out, and while they've got their hands full, they're getting the hell off the Island. Kate asks who's going to fly the plane. He says they're not taking the plane; they're taking the sub.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• Why did Nemesis need to kill everyone if he wasn't in direct danger?
• Did Charlotte really stumble across Sawyer's folder accidentally?
• Who was the "crazy mother" Nemesis was referring to?
• What is in the locked room on the sub?
• Who murdered the people in the ditch?
• Why was Kate running in the flash-sideways?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What were the three books Detective James Ford had in his bedroom?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• "Protect the Island U." - Class is in Session (say what??)
• You Need to Cross the Line from Time to Time (say what??)

Next, on Lost: Ab Aeterno

Ben contemplates the decisions that have driven his life, while his alternate self comes to a hard decision regarding how much importance he places on power.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: People that Jacob has "touched" are given the gift of immortality; Ben has been accepted by Jacob's followers despite his crimes, and refused to follow Nemesis.

Summary

Ben runs through the jungle, then tripping and falling. He sees the fires of Ilana's party and runs to them. She asks where Sayid is, and Ben tells them he killed Dogen and Lennon. Ben suggests they go to the beach so they'll be on familiar ground, and Ilana agrees.

Ben teaches his students about the history of Elba, telling them Napoleon was there as Emperor but without any power it was meaningless. The bell rings and he tells them chapters 5 and 6 are due tomorrow. Principal Reynolds enters and tells him to walk with him. Reynolds tells him they need him to help with detention duty, but Ben argues that he's needed in History Club. Reynolds tells him he's the one who needs the club to feel needed, but now "Mr. Linus" is needed in detention. As Reynolds walks away, Ben says it's Dr. Linus.

Ben sits with Artz in the teacher's lounge, who's lamenting his ruined shirt and old equipment. Ben tells him Reynolds is an administrator and has forgotten that public school is about taking care of the kids. Artz is cynical, but Ben says he refuses to give up. From across the table, Locke suggests that Ben should be the principal because he cares. Ben asks who would listen to him. Locke says he's listening.

Miles asks Ben what the Smoke Monster was, and Ben says that thing is what killed their friends at the statue. Ilana asks, and Jacob? Ben reluctantly agrees. Ilana asks if Miles can speak to the dead, and he says he needs something from their body. She hands him the bag of ashes and tells him it's what's left of Jacob's body. So, she asks, how did he die? Miles communes with the bag and tells her that Ben killed him. Ben protests, and Ilana asks if it's true. Miles assures her it is. Ilana says thank you, and mentions that Jacob was the closest thing she had to a father. They continue their trip into the woods.

----------------

Ilana leads the others to the beach, and tells them she's going to find tools to work on shelter. She tells the others to work on starting a fire. Ben asks if there's anything she'd like him to do, but she ignores him. She tries to convince him that Miles is unreliable and tried to blackmail him once, but she walks away.

Ben takes an instant meal out of his microwave and gives it to his father, Roger. He says it's organic and he's trying to keep him healthy. Roger asks how work was, and Ben says he has a doctorate in European history and he's babysitting detention. He says the worst part is how he can't help thinking that he's more a loser than any of the kids in detention. His father tells him he wanted more for him, and that's why he signed up for the DHARMA Initiative. He says to imagine how their lives would've been if they had stayed. He says, who knows what Ben could've become.

The doorbell rings, and Ben goes to see Alex. She asks where he was and says they had to cancel History Club. He tells her about his detention duty. She says the AP test was on Friday and she was counting on the tutoring. He tells her he'll tutor her tomorrow morning in the library. She says he's the best, and he tells her it's his pleasure.

Ilana works on the shelter, and Sun asks how long they'll stay here. She says she doesn't know, but Sun insists on finding her husband. Ilana says she wants to find him too, but she can't yet. Sun asks what she means, and Ilana explains that her name is Kwon, so she's supposed to protect one or both of them. Sun asks what that means, and Ilana tells her that they're candidates to replace Jacob. She says there are only six candidates left.

Jack wakes up Hurley in a thicket. He says they can make the Temple by nightfall, and suggests they hurry and eat on the way. Hurley says maybe they should take their time, but is too vague on why. Jack starts to leave and Hurley follows. He tries to direct him off to the side, but Jack doesn't fall for it. Richard appears from the woods and says they're both wrong, and the Temple is off in a totally different direction. Jack asks where he came from, and Richard says he can't say yet. He says if they want to get to the Temple, to follow him. Hurley asks if Jack trusts him, and he says at least Richard isn't stalling.

Ben rummages through at tent and finds a bottle of water from Oceanic. Ben talks about the plane crash and Frank observes he sounds nostalgic. Frank tells him he was supposed to have flown it, and mentions how different life would've been. Ben says it wouldn't have been that different, since the Island still got him in the end. Ilana holds a gun to Ben's neck and tells him to walk.

She leads him to a clearing out near the graves. He starts to tell her she doesn't have to do this, but she makes him lay down on the ground. She attaches a harness to his leg, and tells him to dig a grave. He asks for who, and she says it's for him.

----------------

Ben quizzes Alex on history. She gets frustrated with a question, and he assures her it's only a test. She says it's her entire life; her mom works two jobs, so she needs a scholarship to pay for Yale, if she can even get in. He assures her she's bright and he's not worried about her. He offers a letter of recommendation, and she says she needs someone who went there. But she only knows the pervert Reynolds. He asks what she meant, and she says to forget it. He presses, and she asks him to promise to keep it between them. He promises and she says she fell asleep in the nurse's office a few months ago. She says the principal and the nurse were having sex in the room right next to her. She asks again if he's going to tell anyone, and he says no, a promise is a promise.

Ben digs his grave as Ilana watches. Miles observes he's not tearing it up, and Ben says he's not in a hurry. Miles says he brought food, and Ben says he's not hungry. Miles starts to walk away. Ben mentions that he can still get Miles the millions of dollars he wanted. Miles asks why he'd do that when Nikki and Paulo are buried there and left diamonds behind. Ben lashes out, saying Ilana is going to murder him for killing a man who didn't even care. Miles says, no, Jacob cared. He says Jacob hoped he was wrong about Ben, but he guesses he was right. Ilana fires a warning shot and orders Ben to continue to dig.

Hurley asks Richard if he's a time traveler, and asks why he looks the same as he did 50 years ago. Richard says it's not easy to explain, and that Jacob gave him a gift. Hurley asks what he knows about him. Richard says he knows he's dead, and they come to the Black Rock. Hurley says he thought they were going to the Temple. Richard says he lied, because everyone at the Temple is dead. Jack asks what he means. Richard says he doesn't know what happened but he just came from there and there were no survivors. Jack asks about Sayid and Kate, and Richard says they weren't there, so maybe they made it out alive. Richard says whatever he was looking for it's not there. Jack observes that Hurley was avoiding going, and Hurley says Jacob hinted at it. Richard asks if Hurley spoke to Jacob. Hurley says yes, and Richard tells him whatever Jacob said, don't believe it. Richard starts to leave, and says he needs to do something. Jack asks what, and Richard tells him: die.

----------------

Artz grades tests and Ben comes in, asking if he has a minute. He asks if Artz is good with computers, and if he could hypothetically access an e-mail account. Artz says it depends on the faculty member. Ben tells him, the nurse. He says he's curious about some of her correspondence. Artz asks, with whom? Ben stays quiet, and Artz starts to walk away. Ben tells him he has reason to believe she might be engaged in an inappropriate personal relationship with Principal Reynolds. Artz says he's going after the big job. Ben asks if he's going to help him or not. Artz says he wants a good parking spot, more aprons, and better lab equipment. Ben tells him it's a deal. Artz says Ben is a real killer.

Ben continues to dig his grave.

Richard looks through the remains of the Black Rock. Jack comes in with a lantern and asks if he's been here before. Richard says yes, and after all the time he's spent on this Island this is the first time he's come back. Hurley comes in and finds the two, and Richard opens up one of the crates of dynamite. He puts one stick in his pocket, and Hurley says Artz made the same mistake. Hurley says he's grabbing dynamite and wants to kill himself. Richard says he can't kill himself, that's why he wants them to do it for him. Jacob touched him, and it's supposed to be a gift, but it's actually a curse. He drops a stick and Hurley shouts with fear. Jack asks why Richard wants to die. He says he's devoted his life in service of a man who told him everything was happening for a reason and he had a plan. He says Jacob was supposed to share the plan when the time was right, but now he's gone. He says he wants to die because his purpose in life is gone. He says if he lights the stick it won't work, but Jack can light it for him and they can still get out in time. Hurley protests, but Jack takes the lantern and lights the stick. As the wick burns, Jack sits and says, now, let's talk.

----------------

Hurley urges Jack to go, but Jack says he needs to talk to Richard. Hurley decides to run, and Richard says Jack should go with him. Richard says he's going to die, and Jack says neither of them are going to die. He tells him about Jacob's lighthouse, and that Jacob wanted him to know that he was being watched since he was a kid. He says that if Jacob went through that much trouble, he brought him here for a reason, and that wasn't to blow up sitting here. Richard says that's a pretty big risk, and what if he's wrong? Jack says, he's not. The wick burns down, and dissipates. Jack laughs and asks if Richard wants to try another stick. Richard says he seems to have all the answers, so now what? Jack says, they go back to where they started.

Ben hears the sound of the Smoke Monster and peaks up from his grave. Nemesis greets him, and Ben asks what he's doing here. Nemesis says visiting, and asks what he's doing. Ben says he's digging his own grave because he talked him into killing Jacob. He says Ilana was Jacob's bodyguard and now she's going to kill him, so he got what he wanted. Nemesis says he doesn't want Ben to die, he went back to the statue to get him but he was gone. Ben says, for what? Nemesis says, he's getting ready to leave the Island for good, but someone needs to be in charge of the Island. He says he can't think of anyone better. Ben protests, but his shackle comes off. Nemesis tells him to go to the Hydra to meet with them, and gives him advice on where and how to ambush Ilana to make his escape. He tells him not to hesitate, because she won't. Nemesis leaves. Ben considers for a moment, then runs.

Reynolds sits in his office, surprised by Ben coming in. Ben says he has something to read. Reynolds looks at the e-mails and freezes. Ben says the acts described in those e-mails took place on school property and would be frowned upon by the school board and Reynolds' own wife. He says Reynolds is going to retire for whatever reason, and recommend Ben for the position of principal. He says they hold Reynolds in such esteem that he'll get the job. Reynolds says he wants Ben to read an e-mail too. Ben reads the e-mail about Alex asking for a recommendation letter. He says those work both ways, so he puts the ball back in Ben's court. He says if Ben takes the job, he will torch Alex. He asks if his job is that important to him. He asks what it will be, Dr. Linus?

Ben finds a gun where Nemesis specified, and holds it to Ilana. He has her drop her gun, and she does. She asks what he's waiting for. He says he wants to explain, that he knows what she's feeling. He says he watched his daughter die in front of him, and it was his fault. He says he had a chance to save her, but he chose the Island over her for Jacob. He says he sacrificed everything for Jacob, and he didn't care. He says when he stabbed Jacob, he was angry and terrified that he was going to lose the only thing that mattered to him, his power. But the thing that really mattered was gone. He says he's sorry he killed Jacob, and he doesn't expect forgiveness because he can't forgive himself. She asks what he wants. He says he just wants to leave. She asks where he'll go, and he says to "Locke," because he's the only one that will have him. Ilana says she'll have him. She takes her gun and turns her back on him and walks away. He follows.

----------------

Ben walks into the principal's office, and Alex knocks and enters. She says she was just coming by to thank Reynolds for his letter of recommendation. She asks if he had anything to do with it, and Ben says she's always been a great student. Reynolds enters and asks what he's doing in his office. Ben says he's just dropping off some forms, and tells Alex he'll see her in History Club. She asks when it's going to come back, and he says they got their old slot back, since Reynolds found someone to cover detention for him. He says he'll see Alex at 4.

Artz catches up with him outside and asks if he did it. Ben says no. Artz complains about his parking space, and Ben says he can have his. He looks at Alex as she exits the office.

Ben follows Ilana back to the beach camp. He sees Sun and puts down the gun he was carrying. He asks if she needs a hand, and she asks him to help her with the tarp. He does as Frank builds a fire. Miles finds Nikki and Paulo's stash of diamonds. Ilana cries holding Jacob's ashes. Hurley, Richard, and Jack come from behind some bushes to join the camp. Sun hugs Hurley, then Jack. They all greet each other. Jack regards Ben, standing alone at the edge of the crowd.

In the water, a submarine raises its periscope to look at the crowd on the beach. The periscope man tells Widmore there are people on the beach, and asks if they should stop. No, Widmore says, proceed as planned.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• What happened at DHARMA to make Roger and Ben Linus leave?
• Who are the six remaining candidates?
• What purpose does Jacob have for Jack?
• Why did Nemesis promise Ben control of the Island?
• What is Widmore's plan? Who's side is he on?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

In the flash sideways timeline, Ben worked at the same high school as Leslie Arzt. In the original timeline, what was Arzt doing in Australia?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• 'Lost' theory: Is Jacob related to the Man In Black? (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: Coming soon!

Sayid is forced to choose who he trusts, while Kate and Claire come face to face for the first time since her disappearance.

ABC Preview:

Sayid is faced with a difficult decision, and Claire sends a warning to the temple inhabitants.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: Sayid has allied himself with Nemesis, killing Dogen and Lennon in the process.

Summary

Sayid hands money to a taxi driver, and exits with flowers. He approaches a house and rings the doorbell. Nadia answers, and he kisses her. Two children (Zack and Emma) ask "Uncle Sayid" where he was, and he says Australia. Sayid's brother Omar approaches asking why he brought flowers to his wife, and Sayid jokes he'll give them to him instead.

At dinner, the kids ask what he brought from Australia, and he tells them to check his bag. Omar sarcastically says they're lucky he showed up, and Sayid explains how dull his job is translating business contracts. Omar is a manager of his own business, Nadia says, and just opened a new store. Omar gets a call. She chides him for taking it, but he says dinner is over and leaves to take the call. Nadia asks Sayid if he got her letters. He says yes, but she says she never heard back. The kids rush back into the room with boomerangs, and Emma mentions that they found a picture of Nadia in his bag. Omar looks on.

Sayid demands to talk to Dogen, saying he wants answers. He asks about the machine they hooked him up to, and what the test is. Dogen says every man has a scale balancing good and evil. He says the machine tells them how the scale is balanced, and Sayid's tipped the wrong way. That's why they tried to poison him, Dogen explains. Sayid says they don't know him, he's a good man. Dogen kicks him down, but Sayid fights him off and the two start to brawl. Eventually, Dogen pulls a knife and almost stabs Sayid. Instead, he tells him to leave and never come back.

Nemesis asks Claire if she's ready, and she suggests he do it himself. He says if he could do it himself, he wouldn't be asking her. She says if she goes in there, she wants her son back. He tells her that he always does what he says. She asks if he's going to hurt them, and Nemesis tells her he'll only hurt the ones that won't listen.

----------------

Sayid sleeps on the couch, and grabs Omar when he approaches. Omar tells him that he's in trouble, and Sayid asks what kind of trouble. Omar says he's out of money, but he borrowed from a loan shark. Sayid says if he needs money, he'll lend it. Omar says he doesn't need money, the loan shark needs convincing. Omar says he knows what he did in the war, and he knows what kind of man Sayid is. Sayid says that he won't hurt someone for a bad business decision, but Omar begs him. He says he knows Sayid cares about Nadia, and if he cares about her, he'll do this for him. Sayid says he's sorry, but he's not that man anymore.

Miles approaches Sayid, asking what he's doing. Sayid says he's leaving, and has been banished. Miles asks for what, and Sayid says apparently he's evil. He says he's better off dead, which is ironic since they saved his life. Miles says they tried to save him, but he was dead for two hours. He points out that when Sayid came back he was just as surprised as the rest of them, so whatever brought him back it wasn't them.

Claire enters and the guards draw their guns. Lennon asks what she's doing, and she says "he" wants to see Dogen. He asks who, and Claire says he knows who. Claire says he wants Dogen to go to him and is waiting outside. Dogen says he's not a fool, if he steps outside he'll be killed. Claire says he should send someone he won't kill. Dogen tells Lennon to put Claire in the hole and get him Shepard and Reyes. Lennon says they can't find them, and Dogen orders him to find them immediately. Dogen tells Sayid to come with him. Sayid says he thought he wanted him to leave. Dogen says things have changed.

He asks where Jack and Hurley went, and Sayid says he doesn't know. Sayid asks about Claire, and Dogen calls her a confused girl under the influence of an angry man. Sayid asks, what man? Dogen says he's been trapped for years, but now with Jacob gone, he's free. He says he won't stop until he's destroyed every living thing on the Island, and calls him evil incarnate. Dogen takes out a knife, and says he wants him to kill him. Dogen says he'll come to him as someone he knows, who has died. He says as soon as Sayid sees him, he needs to plunge the knife deep into his chest. If he allows him to speak it's already too late. Sayid asks why he'd ever do anything for him. Dogen says that Sayid claimed there is still good in his soul, so he should prove it.

----------------

Zack asks how long Sayid will be spending with them, and he says just a few days since he has to go to Toronto for work. They say that they and their mom like it when he stays. He kisses them and helps them board their school bus. Nadia runs out for him with a concerned look.

In a hospital, they see Omar in a stretcher. A doctor explains that he has a punctured lung, and that EMTs think he was mugged. Sayid starts to leave, but Nadia tells him whatever he's thinking of doing, don't do it. She asks him to go home and wait for the kids. He hugs her.

Sayid walks through the jungle, and meets up with Kate. She asks if he's leaving, and he says he's not sure. She asks what she missed, and he tells her to ask Miles. At the Temple, Miles says Sawyer sent her packing. He says he thought about coming after him too, but he'd end up being berated until he came back. She says that's pretty much what happened. She asks what happened, and he tells her the "Australian chick" is back. He says she strolled in acting strange. Kate urgently asks where she is.

Sayid sets his pack down and takes a drink from his canteen. The leaves begin to rustle, and he draws his knife. Nemesis appears and tells him hello. Sayid immediately stabs him with the knife, and Nemesis pulls it out. He asks, why'd you go and do that?

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Nemesis offers the knife back to Sayid, who takes it. Sayid asks what he is, and Nemesis says he seems to have some idea since he stabbed him without saying hello. Nemesis asks what they said, and Sayid explains they said he's evil incarnate. Nemesis says he feels sorry for him, because Dogen knew he had no chance of killing him, and he believed Nemesis would kill him for trying. Nemesis says shame on him for trying to talk him into it. Sayid asks what he's trying to talk him into. Nemesis says he wants him to deliver a message, because it will mean more coming from him than Claire. He offers Sayid anything he wants in the world. Sayid says the only thing he ever wanted died in his arms and he'll never see it again. Nemesis asks, what if you could?

Nadia finds Sayid gluing a vase, who explains that they had an incident with a boomerang. She asks when the kids went to bed, and he says two hours ago. He says he told them that daddy had an accident but he'll be fine. Nadia says he's recovering from surgery, but he's awake now. Nadia asks if Sayid knew about the loan. She says Omar brought this on himself. After a moment of silence, she asks why he didn't want to be with her. She asks if he cares about her, why did he push her towards his brother? He says the last 12 years he's been trying to wash his hands of the horrible things he's done. He says he can't be with her because he doesn't deserve her.

Dogen asks Sayid what happened. Sayid tells everyone there's a man in the jungle about a mile south. He says he was sent to send a message that Jacob is dead. And because he's gone, they don't have to stay here, they're free. He says the man he met is leaving the Island forever, and those who want to join him can leave the Temple. He says they have until sundown. Cindy asks what happens if they stay. Sayid tells her, they die.

Lennon asks Kate when she got back, but Kate demands to know where Claire is and pushes him to the wall. He leads her to the hole and tells her she has two minutes. Kate looks down into the hole and greets Claire. She asks if Claire is okay. Claire asks if they captured her too. Kate says no, and asks why they put her down here. Claire says they took Aaron, and Kate explains that she took him off the Island to raise him. She says she came back to rescue Claire so she could be with him. Claire says she's not the one that needs to be rescued. The guards pull Kate away, and Claire calls that he's coming, and they can't stop him.

----------------

Lennon urges calm among the Temple residents, and he tells Sayid that he created a panic. Sayid says he just left a message, and what his people do is up to them. Cindy starts to leave and Lennon urges them to stay in the Temple. Cindy says Jacob's dead and it isn't safe here. Lennon shouts that it's a bluff, and Nemesis can't get in. Miles asks what's going on, and Sayid pulls the knife, saying he has to return it.

A man asks Sayid if he's going to pick up the kids. He he tells Sayid to get in the car, unless he wants them to pick up the kids together. Sayid gets in, meets with a man in the back of a kitchen. He takes a seat. The man, Keamy, asks if wants some eggs, but Sayid refuses. Keamy finishes his own meal and introduces himself. He asks Sayid how his brother is doing, and talks about how he was mugged in front of his store. Keamy says at least he's still around to take care of his family.

Keamy says Sayid is a direct guy, so he'll get to it. He says his brother owes him money. Sayid says Omar has paid him everything he owes. Keamy calls it a lie, but Sayid simply asks if he put his brother in the hospital. Keamy says he didn't do it, it's a dangerous world. Sayid disarms the guards and holds a gun to Keamy. Keamy says it's done, and that Omar doesn't owe him anything. He tells him to relax and forget about it. Sayid says he can't, and he shoots Keamy. Sayid hears a noise from the fridge, and enters to find Jin. He takes the tape off his mouth, and Jin talks in Korean. Sayid asks who he is, and Jin says "no English."

----------------

Dogen looks at his baseball outside the foyer pool. He says that Sayid let him talk to him. Sayid says he stabbed in in the chest, and then he let him talk to him. He drops the knife and says that's twice he let someone else try to kill him. He asks why Dogen didn't just kill Sayid himself. Dogen says he was a businessman in Osaka, at a bank. He says he was good at his job, and was promoted. His associates took him out to celebrate and he had too much to drink. He says every Friday he would pick his 12-year-old son up from baseball. He says he got in an accident; he survived but his son didn't. He tells him that in the hospital, a man he never met came to him. He says the man told him that if he could save his son's life, Dogen would have to come to the Island for a new job and he could never see his son again.

Sayid asks who the man was, and Dogen says his name was Jacob. Sayid observes that Jacob drives a hard bargain. Dogen asks if Nemesis offered a similar bargain, and Sayid says yes. Dogen notices it's sundown, and asks if Sayid will stay or go. Sayid says he'd like to stay, then grabs Dogen and forces him into the water, holding him under until he goes limp. Lennon comes in, asking what he's done. Lennon says Dogen was the only thing keeping it out, and Sayid just let it in. Sayid takes the knife and kills Lennon, and says he knows.

Next, on Lost: Dr. Linus

Jacob gives Hurley a mission to bring someone to the Island, while Claire reveals her new allegiances and the lengths she'll go for Aaron.

ABC Preview:

Hurley must convince Jack to accompany him on an unspecified mission, and Jin stumbles across an old friend.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: Nemesis is Claire's "friend"; Jacob has a special task for Jack.

Summary

Jack walks into his house and puts his keys down, then washing his face. He looks at the scar on his side pensively and gets a phone call. His mother is asking about the coffin, and he says the airline thinks it was lost in Berlin. She asks how she's supposed to get anything done, she can't find his will or papers anywhere. Jack promises he'll come over and they'll find it together. He asks when he got his appendix taken out, and she says he was 7 or 8, and that his father wanted to do it himself but wasn't allowed. She asks if he remembers and he says he guesses he does. He looks at the time and rushes off the phone and out the door.

He pulls up to St. Mary's Academy and finds a young boy sitting on the steps. He apologizes for being late to the boy, David, who calls him "dad."

Jack looks out at the water of the Temple. Dogen says he was afraid Jack had left, and Jack asks if it was an option. Dogen says everything is an option, but he would have to stop him. Dogen asks if Jack's friends are coming back, and Jack tells him no, they probably aren't.

Hurley and Miles play tic-tac-toe, to another tie. Hurley asks if Miles is hungry, and leaves to get some food. Hurley goes into the Temple and sees Jacob dipping his fingers in the water. Hurley asks what he's doing here, and Jacob says he needs him. Jacob says he should get a pen, he'll have to write a few things down. Hurley asks what kinds of things. Jacob says someone is coming to the Island, and he needs Hurley to help him find it.

----------------

David takes some books out of his bag, and Jack tells him he hooked up the cable so he can watch the Red Sox. He picks up a book and asks if he's reading it, and David says yes. Jack says he always wanted to read it to him when he was little. David walks away; Jack follows and tells him to take off his headphones. Jack asks who he's listening to, and David says he hasn't heard of them. Jack says he's trying to have a conversation, and David says they only see each other once a month, so can't they just get through it? Jack gets a phone call and his mom asks if he's coming over, and he says he's heading over now. He asks David if he wants to come, but he refuses. Jack promises to be back in about an hour and they'll eat.

Sayid approaches Jack and asks why everyone is staring at him. Jack advises him to just ignore them. Sayid talks about the infection and the pill, and Jack's disappearance; he asks what Jack is hiding from him. Jack tells him the pill was poison and they wanted him to kill him. He says that whatever happened, they say it happened to someone else too. Sayid asks, who?

Claire approaches Jin, whose leg is bloody in the trap. She kicks Justin's body, and grabs a metal rod to pry open the trap. He asks how long she's been out here, and she says, since they all left. She asks how long it was, and he says it's been 3 years. She says she has to get him somewhere safe, and helps him up. He tries to walk, but passes out.

Hurley reads some writing on his arm while looking through the hieroglyphs on the Temple walls. He finds one like an Omega, and Dogen asks what he's doing. He says he's just looking around because he's a fan of Temples, history, Indiana Jones stuff. Dogen tells him to go back to the courtyard, but Jacob appears, and instructs him to tell Dogen he can do what he wants because he's a candidate. Hurley does so, and Dogen asks who told him that. Hurley says it doesn't matter, and asks why Dogen doesn't go back to the courtyard. Dogen speaks in his native tongue and leaves. Jacob asks what he's doing, since he asked him to bring Jack with him. Hurley says it's hard to get Jack to do things, but Jacob says he has to. Hurley says this is already hard, and he lied to a samurai. He says if Jacob has ideas, he's listening. Jacob smiles.

Hurley approaches Jack outside and tells him to act cool, wait 10 seconds, and follow him. Jack questions him, and Hurley says that Jacob told him about it. Jack says he's not going. Hurley says Jacob said he'd say that, so he told him to tell him "you have what it takes." Jack gets up and asks Hurley where Jacob is. Hurley says he's dead, but he turns up wherever he wants like Obi-Wan Kenobi. But, he says, if Jack wants to see him, he's where they're going. Jack says, let's go see Jacob.

----------------

Jin wakes up in a makeshift shack, and calls for Claire. He stumbles up, finding dynamite next to him, a cradle, and an oar he uses for a crutch. He takes the covering off the cradle and finds animal remains. Claire brings Justin in, saying he was pretending to be dead but wasn't. She knocks him down and says she wants to know where he's hiding her son. She says she should get Jin's wound cleaned up before the infection gets him. Jin asks if she's been out here all this time by herself, and she says she's not by herself. Justin struggles and says they have to get out of here now. Jin says it's okay, he knows her. Justin says he knows her, and if they don't get out of here now she's going to kill them both.

Hurley and Jack walk through the jungle, coming to a fork. Jack asks which way, and Hurley chooses a path. Jack sees a backpack, and Kate pulls a gun on him. He says it's okay, and she puts it away. Jack asks where Jin and Sawyer are, and she explains that Jin went back and Sawyer is on his own. Hurley tells her how to get back into the Temple, and she says she's going to find Claire. Jack tells her she's not at the beach, and explains that the people at the Temple said something happened to her. He tells her they didn't say where she is. He urges Kate to come with them so they can go to the Temple together. Hurley says it's just supposed to be them, but Jack insists. Kate says it's okay and that they should just go.

Jack pulls to the house of Margo, his mother. Inside, he looks through the files. She says they'll never find it, and he says it's in there somewhere. She says it's like a needle in a haystack and why he wouldn't give it to his lawyer is beyond her. She asks if he wants a drink, and he says no thanks. She says, good for you. She asks how David is holding up, and says he was really upset at the funeral. Jack seems confused, and Margo observes he didn't tell Jack. Jack says he doesn't talk much, and she says that's how Jack was with his father. Jack says that's because he was terrified of his father, and Margo says how does he know David isn't terrified of him? Jack says why would he be? She says she doesn't know, but maybe he should ask him. She finds Christian's will, and opens it. She asks Jack if his father ever mentioned a Claire Littleton.

Claire boils a mixture and sharpens an axe. Justin tells Jin to untie him before she comes back, and again emphasizes that she'll kill them both. He says he needs to snap her neck when she comes back in. She reenters, and says she's sorry Jin got stuck in the trap. She tends to the wound and starts to stitch it. Jin asks if she's been here the whole time, and she says she's had to move around a lot to hide from them, and she's lucky she's alive. Jin asks what she's going to do with Justin, and she says he's going to tell him what they did with Aaron. Justin protests, but she says she knows they have him. Claire says her father told her, and her friend told her, so she knows it's true. Jin asks who her friend is, and she asks if Jin is still her friend. He says, of course he is. Claire gets her axe and tells Justin it's his turn.

----------------

Hurley apologizes to Jack, for wrecking his game with Kate. Jack says there's nothing left to wreck, and Hurley asks what happened with them. Jack says he wasn't cut out for it, and Hurley says he'd make a great dad. Jack says he'd make a terrible dad, then finds an asthma inhaler on the floor. Hurley says it's Shannon's. Jack observes that they're at the caves that they once lived in. They find the corpses and Hurley says he totally forgot they were in there. Hurley asks, what if they time traveled to dinosaur times and died and got buried here, and the skeletons are them? He turns around to see Jack looking at Christian's coffin. Jack says he found this place chasing the ghost of his dead father, who led him here. He says that was his coffin, before he smashed it to pieces. Hurley asks why he did that, and Jack says, because he wasn't in it.

Jack comes home with pizza, but can't find David. He calls David's phone, but gets his voicemail. He leaves a message, saying that if he did something to upset him he's really sorry. He says he's driving to his mother's house, so if he's there, don't go anywhere. He rings the doorbell, but there's no answer. He opens the door with a hidden key, and goes up to David's bedroom. But he's not there. He turns on a light and sees his music sheets, and a picture of them together. Jack turns on the message machine, which is a message from the conservatory to confirm his slot at 7 PM. The next message is from Jack, from Sydney. He says he just needed to hear his voice and he'll try again later.

Hurley says it's really old school, him and Jack trekking through the jungle to do something they don't understand. Hurley asks why Jack came back to the Island. Jack turns the question around on him, and Hurley says in L.A. Jacob hopped in his cab and told him he was supposed to, so he came. Jack chuckles, and Hurley presses Jack on the question. Jack says he came back because he was broken and stupid enough to think the place could fix him. He asks Hurley how much further they've got, and Hurley says it's not far at all. They come to a lighthouse on the beach. Jack asks how it is they've never seen it before. Hurley says they weren't looking for it.

Claire demands to know where her son is, and Justin says he doesn't know. She demands he stops covering for them. She demands he stops lying, and says they tortured her. She said they captured her because she was picking their people off. Jin tries to intervene, but Claire shouts that they branded her. Claire asks again, and Justin says he doesn't know again. Claire raises her axe, and Jin finally shouts that Kate has Aaron, she took him with her. Justin says that's the truth, and if she lets him go he'll never tell anyone he saw her. Claire kills him with the axe.

----------------

Hurley and Jack head towards the lighthouse, and Jack asks if Jacob is inside. Hurley says he guesses so, but they need to turn it on. Hurley struggles with the door, and Jack kicks it open.

Jack heads into the conservatory advertising a youth concert series. He sees David playing the piano and gets teary-eyed. Another kid remarks to Jack that he's really good, and Jack looks over to see the boy hug Dogen. Dogen says they're too young to have this kind of pressure, and it's hard to watch and be unable to help. He says Jack's son has a gift. He asks how long he's been playing, and Jack says he doesn't know.

Hurley and Jack walk to the top of the lighthouse. Hurley says it's cool, and must've been built to help ships get here. Jack asks where Jacob is, and Hurley just says he's not here yet. He starts to pull on a chain and asks Jack to tell him when the mirrors get to 108 degrees. Jack sees things in the reflection of the mirror, and tells Hurley to stop. Hurley says it's just ocean. Jack looks down and sees names etched in the degrees. He finds his own name at 23 degrees, and Hurley protests before Jack turns the mirror to that point. He looks in the mirror and sees the house he grew up in. Hurley says that's weird, and Jack realizes that Jacob's been watching all of them this whole time. He asks again where Jacob is. Hurley says he doesn't know, and was just assuming that he'd be here. Jack says he wants to know why Jacob has been watching him, and demands that Hurley asks him. Hurley says it doesn't work like that, he just shows up whenever he feels like it. Jack grabs a telescope and shouts at Hurley for information, then smashes in the mirrors of the lighthouse.

----------------

David gets his bike, and Jack appears behind him telling him he was great in there. David is surprised Jack saw him, and says he missed a couple notes. Jack says it sounded perfect to him. He tells him that he scared the hell out of him. David says he was at grandma's, and he thought he could get back before he got home. Jack says he didn't know David was still playing, and David says he asked grandma not to tell him. He says he was so into it, watching him practice. He says he didn't tell him he was coming because he didn't want Jack to see him fail. Jack says when he was David's age, his father didn't want to see him fail, and used to say he didn't have what it takes. He says he spent his whole life carrying it around, and he doesn't want David to feel that way. He says he'll always love him, no matter what he does he'll never fail. He says he just wants to be a part of David's life. David says okay, and Jack tells him he has some pizza at the house. Jack says, let's go home.

Jack looks out at the ocean, and Jacob comes asking how it went. Hurley asks where he was, and Jacob says it doesn't matter. Hurley says he should've come and explained everything so Jack wouldn't freak out and break his mirror. Hurley says whoever they needed to get to the Island is screwed, and Jacob says they'll find another way. Hurley asks why he didn't care, and Jacob looks at Jack. Hurley realizes Jacob wanted Jack to see what was in the mirror.

Jacob explains that it was the only way for him to understand how important he is. He says Jack is here to do something, and he has to find that himself. Jacob says sometimes you can just hop in someone's cab and tell them what they're supposed to do. Other times, you have to let them look out at the ocean for a while. Hurley says next time he should tell him from the start. Jacob says he couldn't risk him not coming, and he had to get them as far from the Temple as possible. He says someone is going there. Hurley gets up, wanting to warn everyone, but Jacob says it's too late.

Claire tells Jin that if she hadn't killed Justin, he would've killed her. She asks why he said Kate was raising Aaron. Jin claims he was lying to save Justin's life. But, he says, Claire was right and the Others have her baby. He tells her Aaron is at the Temple and he saw him there, but she'll need him to get there. She asks how they get in, and he tells her there's a secret way. She thanks him, and says she's so glad to know he was lying, because if Kate was raising Aaron she'd have to kill her. Nemesis enters, asking if he's interrupting. Jin asks, John? Claire says it's not John, it's her friend.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• Why doesn't Jack remember his appendectomy?
• Who is David's mother?
• What was Jacob doing in the Temple's water?
• Who does Jacob want to bring to the Island?
• Why didn't anyone notice the lighthouse before?
• Did Jacob ever intend to use the lighthouse to bring in his asset?
• What does Jacob need Jack to do?
• How long has Nemesis been influencing Claire?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What is David Shephard's house number?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• A Game of Twenty LOST Meta-Questions (Debra Murphy)
• Mysteries of the 'Lost' Cave (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: Sundown - Sayid is faced with a difficult decision, and Claire sends a warning to the temple inhabitants.

Those who read the allegedly leaked script probably already had reservations about the TV adaptation of Wonder Woman. From her Katy Perry freak-out to a frank discussion about her action figure's bust size, it looked like a disaster that only David E. Kelly could bring.

Now we have our first look at the costume, and... no. Just no. Why would you do this to an American icon?

Is the constant mockery of these bloviating right-wing demagogues really the best use of precious center-left media time? I think it's likely to backfire on liberals, for several reasons:

Video games aren't really known for their sweeping romances and taudry love stories. But that doesn't mean that these torrid affairs don't exist. In fact, many of our favorite video games have featured romantic subplots, complete with cringe-worthy dialogue and sometimes, if we're lucky, a love scene or two. The following list counts down the top fourteen cutest, most romantic, or just plain weird relationships in gaming.

What are a few of your favorite video game couples?

You can feel the stampede to the message boards as the official NPD Group numbers make their way online. The story hasn't changed much -- Wii remains on top, PlayStation 3 continues to have trouble gaining steam and Xbox 360 maintains a position behind Wii but gaining momentum as the fall season moves into gear-- but the numbers have shifted.

Several weeks back, Capcom Digital kicked off a community voting process in which gamers could suggest potential unlockable Achievements for the Xbox Live Arcade version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. After sifting through the mountain of submissions, Capcom today launched the official vote, presenting seven potential Achievement options to choose from

In an interview with Gamasutra at Microsoft's Gamefest event in Seattle, iNiS co-founder Keiichi Yano confirmed they are working on an Xbox 360 game. You may recall iNiS as the makers of such games as Elite Beat Agents on the DS and Gitaroo-Man on PS2.

SNK Playmore USA announced today that classic Neo Geo arcade games will be joining the Genesis, Turbografx-16 and Nintendo's various systems on the Wii's Virtual Console service.

Ken Kutaragi, a true pioneer in the video game industry, will be honored at the ESA's special children's charities fundraising event, Nite to Unite for Kids. He will get the 2008 Champion Honoree award for his contributions to the gaming world.

In an effort to push Master Chief even more, they have announced a ludicrously large number of events for what they're calling: "Unite to Fight: Halo 3 Launch Week."

In the latest OXM Podcast, Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos confirms that the Xbox 360 guitars for Rock Band are wired in the bundles. There will be wired and wireless versions available for the Xbox 360, but once again, the retail bundles will come with a wired guitar. The PS3 guitars are all wireless.

South Park episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft," which famously skewered MMORPG World of Warcraft and its many subscribers late last year, was awarded the 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program at the 59th Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday.

"Developers who are not embracing online opportunities to a greater level are leaving money on the table," said Geoffrey Zatkin, president and chief operating officer of San Diego-based Electronic Entertainment Design and Research.

Games that use some degree of multiplayer capability also tend to make nearly 25 percent more revenue than those without. And games that allow users to play each other online bring in close to twice that of games which do not.

Valve has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 version of Orange Box will be released a bit later than PC and 360 builds - but said the delay is nothing to do with the console itself.

Aside from Crisis Core, Famitsu editors asked about new developments in the Compilation series, before stating the obvious---fans want a FFVII remake.

Imaizumi said that the remake of FFVII is a question of timing, mentioning that Kitase, Nomura and Tabata are all busy with the Final Fantasy XIII series.

As of 10:00am (PDT), Infinity Ward has raised the maximum level from 11 to 16 in the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare multiplayer beta for Xbox 360, allowing players to unlock clan tags (at level 12), along with additional weapons, features, and perks.

RedOctane contacted 1UP to clarify Huang's comments, explaining that what he meant to say was that downloadable content will not be available from day one -- online play will be included out of the box. The limited internal storage and lack of an established add-on content model for the Wii may make this a tricky situation to resolve, but considering the immense profitability of downloadable content, we have to believe that something is in the works.

Microsoft is apparently making strong examples of anyone trying to sneak into the Halo 3 Epsilon test. The crackdown came to light when a 17-year-old Minnesotan who goes by the handle "Scar" posted a tale of woe on the forums of the Halo-focused modding site Se7ensins.com. His post was accompanied by a photo of his ban notice from Xbox Live, which expires on December 31, 9999 AD--some 7,447 years after the events in Halo are supposed to take place.

Major Nelson just updated with word that no bans have been handed down to any Xbox Live users. Additionally, Microsoft tells 1UP, anyone who has found themselves in the Call of Duty 4 beta, whether through regular token-based activation or through a friend's account, will be allowed to remain active in the beta. Instead, he simply issues warning to gamers who attempt to circumvent XBL in the future:

There was a time during the development of this week's new PlayStation 3 dragon-fighting game "Lair" when its director, Julian Eggebrecht, thought it was cursed. That time began two years ago and — hopefully for him — ended this summer.

"I am not a believer in ghosts, but this one was haunted," Eggebrecht told GameFile over the course of an e-mail interview conducted from his native Germany, where the developer was on vacation.

PopCap Games, the leading developer and publisher of casual games, today unveiled the results of a survey targeting "white collar" workers who play casual video games.

You may have read a few months ago about the 9 year old who saved his dad's life by bringing a runaway truck to a stop and he asked his dad for a PS3 as a reward. Well, Sony in a shockingly good PR move (they have good PR?) gave the kid what he asked for.

This won't be a feature in Crackdown 2, however - in fact, Realtime Worlds isn't working on a sequel at all, Wilson confirmed.

Although the team is in some respects "heartbroken", "Microsoft were a little late in stepping up to the plate to ask for Crackdown 2, and by then we had already started working on bigger, better things."

Worth reading all the way through this story, actually, for insight to the trouble dev process of Crackdown.

Microsoft has issued a 24-hour ban from Xbox Live to 23,000 users that took advantage of an exploit that allowed unauthorised players to gain access to the restricted multiplayer beta test.

SCi Entertainment, owner of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider computer game franchise, admitted yesterday that for the second time in two years it had received a bid approach, believed to be from its French rival Ubisoft.

Speaking with GameSpot at this year's EA Studio Showcase, Valve director of marketing Doug Lombardi confirmed that the PS3 version of The Orange Box "will trail the PC and Xbox 360 versions by a couple of weeks."

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

This is the sixth edition of Logical Fallacies 101, after ad hominem, association, argument from ignorance, begging the question, and argument by consensus. The series is now old enough for grade school.

These are meant to be quick logic primers. Think flash cards for debate. The basic definition of a fallacy established earlier in the series is...

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

This week, we run with a fallacy your mother probably warned you about...

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

I've gotten a lot of very kind and appreciative feedback on this series, from people learning about fallacies for the first time, those needing a refresher course, and people who just want something to point to during a debate. This is the fifth edition of Logical Fallacies 101, after ad hominem, association, argument from ignorance, and begging the question. 

These are meant to be quick, easily-digestible logic primers. The basic definition of a fallacy established earlier in the series is...

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

Today we're going to take a break from misused words, and instead steer towards a fallacy that's disturbingly popular...

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

The fallacy train forges onward, instilling knowledge to all who behold it. This is the fourth edition of Logical Fallacies 101, after ad hominem, association, and the argument from ignorance. 

To remind everyone of the goal, these articles serve as simple logic primers, and I'm addressing them one at a time to make it easily digestible. The basic definition of a fallacy established earlier in the series is...

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

The argument from ignorance might be a popularly mis-cited fallacy, but today we're going to tackle another one you hear all the time. It really begs the question...

You've probably heard that phrase plenty of times. Someone might say:

Paul had to go to the hospital after he ate that egg salad sandwich. But he knows he's allergic to mayonnaise, so it begs the question of why he'd order an egg salad sandwich at all.

Poor Paul. While we all feel for him and his rapidly swelling windpipe, this is a misuse of the term. People tend to say something "begs the question" when they mean, "it sorta makes you wonder." Like last week's entry, this is one that people frequently misuse. Unlike last week's entry, people aren't on the right track but slightly off; they're just misusing a figure of speech.

Used accurately, begging the question means someone is makes a statement without proof, but that statement is meaningless without proof. Most often, the accuracy is presumed by the premise, and used as a basis to prove itself, making it a form of circular argument. In simple terms it can be made in one "move" (or statement), but more often it's presented in a tier of statements that build on each other in order to support the first statement.

So as a simple (and popular) example:

When did you stop beating your wife?

This is classic begging the question in one move. The unstated premise is that you beat your wife, and therefore it serves as a verbal trap. There is no way to answer the proper question (when) without indicting yourself as a wife-beater. 

Here's a more controversial, three-step example:

The Bible is the word of God.

The Bible says it is the word of God, and God would not lie.

Therefore, the Bible is the word of God.

Again, the premise is assumed and then proven by the next few steps. Whether the Bible is the word of God or not, you can't use statements from inside the book to prove itself. This is a particularly tricky one, since the intricacies of the English language can make it hard to spot. With a little practice, you'll be calling them out in no time.

Let's take a look at a few political examples:

Obama isn't an American citizen because he's Kenyan.

Sarah Palin can't win for President because she'll lose.

In both cases, the premises (Obama's citizenship, Palin's viability) are presumed from the initial statement. Neither statement offers proof of its claim, it just repeats the premise in a different way. This can make for good banter or an opening statement when formulating your argument, but if you leave it there without offering proof, you're begging the question.

The hospital says Paul will be fine, because he's doing better.

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

So far, we've covered the ad hominem and association fallacies. I'm breaking these down one at a time, and trying to make them fun and simple. Logic can be pretty obtuse, so hopefully treating them in small chunks will make the ideas accessible to everyone. To remind you of the basic definition I'm running with:

A fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

Today, we dip into a commonly cited -- and commonly mis-stated -- fallacy: the argument from ignorance.

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an ongoing exercise to help foster more reasonable debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

I introduced this idea with last week's piece, Ad Hominem (Attack the Source). I was glad to see people talking, agreeing, disagreeing, and making notes of it for later. To reiterate the objective, this series is meant to raise awareness of logical fallacies by breaking it into easily digestible chunks. As I said last week:

Put most simply, a fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

Now let's dive right in to this week's entry, the Association Fallacy. It's a fun double-dip, and you've probably seen it before. Heck, you've probably seen it this week.

Welcome to Logical Fallacies 101, an effort to help foster more reasonable, logical debate on Newsvine and wherever else you may find yourself discussing differences of opinion.

We all know that Newsvine can be a contentious place, and everyone makes a debate misstep from time to time. This series is meant to inform and explain what logical fallacies are, outline common fallacies in detail, and explain why they're unacceptable forms of debate rhetoric. And, being that it's a fairly dry subject, I'll attempt to inject some humor and light-heartedness into the discussion.

Put most simply, a fallacy is a rhetorical sequence that doesn't logically connect. For a variety of reasons, logical fallacies are invalid. A logical fallacy does not necessarily render the point invalid, but it means you need to rethink how you're making your point.

The finale has come and gone, and we've all had a little time to adjust to the idea that Lost isn't coming back. (That is, unless the creators make that Hurley/Miles buddy cop show I've been pitching.)

But it's probably best to accept that it's over and move on. Since we're approaching a few months past the finale, I thought now would be a good time to take a look back and reflect on the show. Plus, there are a few announcements I've been holding onto, and there's no time like the present to open up the discussion about them as well.

The dramatic conclusion to Lost answers some questions, leaves others open to interpretation, and finishes on a twist that puts the entire season - or perhaps the entire show - into question.

The Island is a dangerous place.

Lostpedia lists forty-three Main and Supporting characters who have died during the show's six-year tenure, averaging to about seven deaths per season. The Smoke Monster, or Island Magic, or greedy opportunists have racked up quite a body count.

Now that we're nearing the season finale, all bets are off. The poignant deaths of Sun and Jin were to remove the viewers' safety net, to reintroduce danger to our major cast of characters. After six years of familiarity, we assume that many of these characters are safe. Now we know they aren't.

Jacob anoints a new Protector of the Island, as Nemesis comes across a new piece of information that could prove dangerous.

Jacob and Nemesis part ways as boys, taking different paths in life with dire consequences.

Jack chooses to help with the plan to steal away on the sub, but Sawyer's mistrust of Nemesis has dire consequences.

The final season is starting to wrap up. It's time for our community to take a fond look back at the characters and moments that the show has made so iconic.

In my last episode wrap-up, I teased that we would be remembering the show's best moments through community-created awards, nicknamed the Smokies. I received dozens of award ideas, and I've distilled them in the categories in the Comments section below. If you don't see your category, sorry! I picked and chose some that I thought would put up decent competition among the true believers.

Jack and Sawyer enact a plan to split from Nemesis' group, but Jack has second thoughts about the escape. Meanwhile, Desmond continues his efforts to connect the Losties in the sideways universe.

Welcome, one and all, to the second edition of Newsvine Next Level.

With April 15 upon us, many Americans have already submitted their income taxes, and many others are feverishly preparing for last-minute trips to the post office. But a concerning report was recently issued by a Washington research center, claiming that nearly half of Americans escape income tax altogether. The research found that 47% of Americans are exempt, either based on low income, or on credits, deductions and exemptions outweighing their amount owed.

Hurley slowly realizes a lost love as he gains confidence in leadership, while Desmond's presence challenges Nemesis.

Desmond's alternate life is missing crucial elements, and certain hands of fate guide him towards seeing that his life isn't what it could have been.

Sun and Jin search for each other as Nemesis reveals the nature of his inability to leave the Island.

Richard reflects on his own place in the struggle between Jacob and Nemesis, as he considers defecting to the other side.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

ABC Preview:

Richard Alpert faces a difficult choice.

The Big Reveal: Richard Alpert was brought to the Island in the 1800s, and Nemesis tried to trick him into killing Jacob.

Summary

Ilana wakes up in a hospital bed. Jacob approaches her and pulls up a chair. He says he's sorry he couldn't make it sooner. She says she's happy to see him. He says he needs her help, and she agrees. He tells her there are six people he needs her to protect, and that it's what she's been preparing for. She asks who they are, and he tells her they're candidates.

Jack asks what the candidates are for, and Sun explains they're candidates to replace Jacob. She says she, Jack, and Hurley are all members. Frank asks what they should do now. Ilana says she doesn't know, and Jack asks who does know.

Ilana asks Jacob what to do after she brings them to the Temple. He says to ask Ricardus.

Hurley asks who "Ricardus" is. Ilana points to Richard and asks him what they do next. He laughs and says he has no idea. He points out that he was trying to kill himself, and asks if that sounds like someone who has a plan. He says Jacob was lying when he said he had a plan. Jack asks what he's talking about. Richard tells Jack that he's dead. He says they're not on an Island, they never were. He says they're in hell, so he's not interested in what Jacob says. He claims it's time they stop listening to him and start listening to someone else. He says that's exactly what he's going to do. He picks up a torch and leaves.

=================

Richard walks through forest. Ilana cocks a gun and says she's going after Richard. She says he knows what to do next, and that she trusts what Jacob said. Jack says that he's lost his mind, and wouldn't be talking about listening to someone else. Sun tells him that he meant Locke. Jack says Locke is dead. Ben tells him that it's not "exactly" Locke. Jack walks to Hurley, who's speaking Spanish. Jack asks what he's saying. Hurley says that he isn't speaking to Jacob, and Jack presses him. Hurley says it's not Jacob, and tells him it has nothing to do with him.

Ben tells Ilana that Jack is right to advise against going after Richard. Ilana asks what makes him so sure. Ben says he's known him since he was 12 years old. Frank asks if they met when they were kids. Ben says he was a kid, but Richard was the same. He doesn't age. Frank asks how that happened.

Richard, dressed in a tunic and with a beard, rides on horseback in 1867. He comes to a cabin and tells a woman, Isabella, to go back to sleep. He notices her fever and puts a wet rag on her forehead. She tells him it's alright, then goes into a coughing fit. He unfolds the rag to see blood from her cough, and says he's going to get a doctor. She kisses her crucifix and gives it to him to give to the doctor. He starts to refuse, but she says to take it. He starts to cry, and she tells him to close his eyes. She tells him they'll always be together, and she kisses his cheek. He promises to save her.

He rides through the rain, and bursts into a doctor's house ignoring a servant. The doctor, sitting at a table, says to get him some blankets. Richard explains about his wife, and begs him to come. The doctor says it's a half-day's journey and refuses to ride in the pouring rain. He offers medicine to save her life, but says it's very expensive. Richard offers anything, and the doctor gets up. Richard gives him some coins, and the doctor asks if that's all he has. Richard gives him the necklace and tells him that now he has everything. The doctor tosses it aside and says it's worthless. Richard begs, saying he'll work off the debt. They two get into a struggle, and Richard throws him against a table, killing him. The servant, coming in with blankets, witnesses it. Richard takes the medicine and runs outside and onto his horse to ride back.

When he arrives at his house, Isabella has already died. He checks for a pulse and cries over her body. A guard enters the house and finds him there.

Richard reads a Bible inside a jail cell. A priest comes with some food and asks to see his Bible. Richard explains that he's been teaching himself, that he was going to go to the New World and start a family with his wife. The priest asks if he's ready to make his confession. Richard kneels and begs forgiveness for killing a man. The priest refuses to grant him absolution. Richard tells him it was an accident, but the priest insists. Richard says there must be some way to earn forgiveness. The priest suggests penance. Richard says he'll do anything, but the priest says he doesn't have time. Tomorrow he'll be hanged. He tells Richard that the devil waits for him in hell, and he leaves.

=================

Two guards come in to restrain Richard, and the priest tells them to blindfold him. He recites a prayer as they take him down a hall. A British man asks if this is him, and then checks his teeth. He asks the priest if he speaks English, and the priest tells Mr. Whitfield yes. He asks Richard if he speaks English, but when Richard is silent he tells them to get him a new one. Richard cries out that he speaks English, and the man asks if he works with his hands. Richard says yes, and the man asks if he wants to go to the New World. Richard says yes, and Whitfield takes him. He says he's now property of Magnus Hanso.

On the Black Rock, the prisoners below deck see the Island. Richard looks out and sees the statue, as the prisoners cry out that they see the Island guarded by the devil. The waves rise so high that the Black Rock crashes into the statue.

Hours later, in daylight, Richard wakes up. He says God has spared them. Above the deck, they hear the captors talking about being stranded. The prisoners shout for help. Whitfield comes down into the prisoner deck, pulls his sword, and murders the prisoners one by one. Richard shouts what he's doing. Whitfield explains that they're shipwrecked with limited supplies and only five officers. Richard holds his hands up in surrender and asks why Whitfield is doing this. Whitfield says if he freed him, it would only be a matter of time before he tried to kill him. He draws his sword, and above the cabin they hear the sounds of the Smoke Monster. It kills the other officers. Whitfield asks what happened, and then the black smoke kills him too. Richard tries to break free, and turns to see the smoke heading towards him. He closes his eyes and recites a prayer, and when he opens them again the smoke is gone.

=================

Richard tries to loosen a floor board, and then hears a storm outside. Water drips in and he struggles to stretch to it for a drink. Hours later, he's still trying to loosen the nail from the floorboard, and finally gets it. He uses the nail to wear down his chains, but can't loosen them enough. He wakes up finding a boar in the cabin. The boar runs by, knocking the nail out of his hands. He struggles to reach it but can't.

Later, he sees a dark figure, Isabella. She rushes to hug him, and she tells him that they're both dead and in hell. She says she's come to save him before the devil comes back. She asks if he's seen the devil too, and he says he thinks he has. They hear a noise, and he tells her to go now. He says he wants to save her like he promised, and she leaves the cabin. He hears a scream, and he shouts to leave her alone, and then crumples on the floor crying.

A man enters with a lantern and some cups with a drink, and touches Richard's shoulder. Richard slowly wakes up with a start. He sees the man in black, who offers him water. Nemesis calls himself a friend. Richard asks if they're in hell, and Nemesis says yes. Richard observes that he wasn't on the ship, and Nemesis says he was here a long time. Richard asks about his wife, and explains about the Black Smoke. Nemesis says that probably means "he" has her. Richard asks, who? Nemesis tells him he knows who. He tells Richard he wants to be free too, and offers to unlock him with the keys if Richard will help him get free. Nemesis unlocks him, and says it's good to see him out of those chains. He says the only way to escape from hell is to kill the devil.

=================

Richard eats a meal, and Nemesis tells him how to get to the statue. He tells him the ship broke it into pieces, and that's where he'll find the devil. He gives Richard a knife and tells him that if he speaks it's too late, since he's very persuasive. Richard asks how he can kill black smoke. Nemesis says he's the black smoke. Richard asks if Isabella was running from him, and Nemesis says she was running from the devil but he couldn't stop him. He says the devil took his humanity and betrayed him. Richard protests that he killed the officers. Nemesis says he'll have to kill him. Richard says murder is wrong, but Nemesis asks if he ever wants to see his wife again. Richard reluctantly says that he does, and Nemesis hands him the knife.

Richard travels to the beach and sees the remains of the statue there. He walks towards it, finding the entrance and drawing his knife. As he approaches, he's hit in the face and falls down. He tries to come again with the knife, and Jacob disarms him. He demands to know who gave it to him. Richard asks where his wife is. Jacob says he doesn't know where his wife is, and asks if she came on the ship. Richard says she's dead, and Jacob asks why he's asking where she is then. Jacob asks if Richard met a man in the jungle dressed in black. Richard explains about the smoke monster and his wife, and the deal they made. Jacob tells him he's not dead, and he's not in hell. Richard insists, and Jacob takes him to the water, holding him under. He brings him back up and asks if he still thinks he's dead. He keeps repeating it, until Richard asks for him to stop. Jacob asks for his name, and Richard tells him. Jacob tells him to get up, and says they need to talk.

=================

Jacob pours Richard a drink. Richard asks what's in the statue, and Jacob says no one comes in unless he invites them in. Richard asks if he's the devil. Jacob says no, and Richard asks who he is. Jacob introduces himself and says he brought the ship to the Island. He tells Richard to think of the wine as what he thinks of hell, or malevolence, evil, darkness. He says it's swirling in the bottle unable to get out because if it did, it would spread. He says the cork is the Island, and it's the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs. He says that the man who sent him thinks everyone is corruptible because sin is their nature. Jacob says he brings people here to prove them wrong. When they get here their past doesn't matter.

Richard asks if others have been here, and Jacob says there have, but they're all dead. Richard asks why he didn't help. Jacob says he wanted them to help themselves, and if he stepped in and did everything for them there would be no point. Richard points out that if he doesn't, Nemesis will. This gives Jacob pause. He asks Richard if he wants a job. Richard asks, doing what? Jacob says, maybe Richard can step in for him. He says he can be an intermediary for the people he brings to the Island. Richard asks what he gets in return, and Jacob asks what he wants. Richard says he wants his wife back. Jacob says he can't do that. Richard says he wants to be absolved of his sins so he doesn't go to hell. Jacob says he can't do that either. Richard off-handedly says he wants to live forever, then. Jacob tells him that, he can do.

Richard approaches Nemesis, who observes that he let him talk to him. Richard says he told him to give him a small white rock. Nemesis says that he'll never be with his wife again, but says he understands, because he can be very convincing. Nemesis tells him that if he ever changes his mind, his offer still stands. Nemesis says he has something for him, and gives him the gold necklace with his wife's crucifix. Richard looks down at it, and Nemesis is gone. Richard kisses it and buries it in the soil, and says goodbye to Isabella.

Richard finds the spot where he buried the necklace and digs it out. He says he changed his mind. He shouts to Nemesis that he was wrong, and that the offer was supposed to stand. Hurley approaches, asking what offer he's talking about. Richard asks if he followed him. Richard shouts that he doesn't know anything, but Hurley interrupts, saying his wife, Isabella, sent him. He says she wants to know why he buried her cross. Richard is skeptical, but he says Isabella is standing right next to him. Isabella says he doesn't believe him, but Hurley says that sometimes it takes people a while. She says to tell him that his English is beautiful, and Hurley tells him. He starts to cry and asks if she's really here. She says something, and Hurley tells Richard that she wants him to close his eyes.

She speaks, and Hurley translates. He says it's not his fault, and as much as he wanted to save her, it was her time. She says he suffered enough. He says he misses her and would do anything to be with her again. She says that they're already together, and kisses his cheek. She disappears, and Hurley tells him that she's gone. Richard puts on the necklace again, and thanks Hurley. He asks Hurley if something is wrong. Hurley says she said one more thing, something Richard has to do. He tells her, she said that he has to stop the man in black from leaving the Island. If he doesn't, Hurley says, they all go to hell.

Nemesis watches from a distance.

Jacob approaches Nemesis, palming the white rock. Jacob says he got his present. Nemesis tells him not to gloat. Jacob says he tried to kill him. Nemesis asks if he expects an apology. Jacob asks why he did it, and Nemesis says he wants to leave. Jacob says as long as he's alive that won't happen, and Nemesis says that's why he wants to kill him. Jacob says if he does, someone will take his place. Nemesis says, he'll kill them too. Jacob hands him the bottle of wine and tells him it's something to pass the time. He says he'll see him around. Nemesis says, sooner than you think, and smashes the bottle.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• "We're in Hell," "We all go to Hell" -- why all the talk of Hell?
• Why did Dogen's comments about Nemesis echo Nemesis' own comments regarding Jacob?
• If Richard was recruited to be a proxy for Jacob, why did he interact personally with candidates?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

How many candles were lit on the doctor's dining room table?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• Sabastian's Guide To Understanding Time Travel, Jumps, Shifts and Multiple Worlds (Sabastian Palpatine)
• "Ab Aeterno"...What does it mean and where does it come from? (Debra Murphy)
• Did Charles Widmore know Ben Linus would kill Jacob? (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: The Package

Sawyer is sent on a mission to ferret out Charles Widmore's team, while the flash-sideways reveals one major choice that changed everything about his life.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

ABC Preview:

Locke tasks Sawyer with a mission.

The Big Reveal: Sawyer is playing both sides of the Nemesis/Widmore conflict against each other so he can escape.

Summary

Sawyer makes tea, and wakes Jin up with a cup of it. Jin startles awake and asks Sawyer how long he was out. Sawyer says a while and thought he could use some rest. Jin asks where everyone is, and Sawyer said Claire and Locke left and said they'd be back by sun up. Jin starts to leave, and Sawyer tells him he's with Locke. Jin says he's not Locke, but Sawyer says whoever he is, he can get them off the Island. Jin says he's not leaving because Sun is still here. Sawyer assures him they won't leave without her. Sawyer says they're back, and the two go out to see the approaching crowd from the Temple, including Sayid and Kate. Kate and Sawyer greet each other solemnly.

Sawyer and a woman, Ava, lay in bed together. She asks if he was supposed to meet someone at 9, and he says yes. She points out that it's 8:42. He rushes to get up, and in doing so his briefcase spills open and bills fall out on the floor. He says she wasn't supposed to see it, and she asks what he's doing with it. He says he's supposed to go 50/50 with an investor, but reassures her it won't take long. When he turns around, Ava is holding a gun to him. She says she can spot a con man and knows about the pigeon drop, and asks how stupid he thinks she is. He says pretty stupid, actually. He tells her the place is surrounded by cops and the room is bugged. He says there's a tracer in the case and all she had to do was take it back to wherever her husband is hiding out. She says if the place is bugged, why hasn't anyone come to save him? He says he doesn't need saving because she's going to do the right thing. But if she doesn't, all he has to do is say the magic word and police will bust in. She cocks her gun, and he says "LaFleur." Cops bust in, with Miles at the fore. He hands him his badge and says to put his clothes on. Ava observes he's a cop, and he says "surprise."

===========

Claire digs through the camp, putting items in her backpack, including a large hunting knife. She looks at her "baby," and Kate comes in to see her with it. Kate asks if this is where she lived, and Claire says yes. Kate asks what the thing in the cradle is, and Claire says it's all she had.

Nemesis gathers everyone and tells them that he knows they're tired, and that they have a lot of questions, and he'll make himself available to answer them, but first they have to keep moving. Cindy asks what happened to the people who stayed behind at the Temple. Nemesis says the black smoke killed them. He leans down and tells the children that what happened was scary, but it's over, and they're with him now. He promises to take care of them. He tells everyone to move out.

Sawyer approaches Kate, asking about Jack and Hurley and everyone. Kate says she saw them leaving on the way back. Sawyer asks about Miles, and Kate says she isn't sure. She asks if he's with Locke now, and he says he's not with anybody.

Sawyer calls a Mr. Cooper about unclaimed property in Alabama. He apologizes for taking his time and crosses a name off the list, then calls another Anthony Cooper. Miles comes with some coffee and asks who Cooper is. Sawyer says he's an old buddy who could hook him up with Lakers tickets. Miles asks if he met him at Palm Springs during his trip last weekend. Sawyer says yes, but the trip is a blur. Miles says he should get it together for his date tonight. Sawyer scoffs at the date, and Miles asks if he wants to die alone. Miles says he can tell him the truth about anything, and asks if he's lying about anything. Sawyer asks, why would I lie?

Nemesis tells everyone that they'll make camp about a quarter-mile ahead in a clearing for a couple of days. Sawyer presses him about leaving the Island, and Nemesis says they'll leave. Sawyer asks when, and Nemesis says they'll talk in private. Once alone, Sawyer asks how Nemesis knew to rescue everyone from the Smoke Monster. Nemesis says he didn't rescue them; he is the Smoke Monster. Sawyer asks if he killed all those people. Nemesis says he gave them the opportunity to leave and they didn't take it. He says they think they're protecting the Island when all he wants is to leave, so it's kill or be killed.

Nemesis takes Sawyer to a beach, and tells him he's going on a boat ride to Hydra Island. He says the Ajira plane is there, but those people didn't come alone. He says those people may want to harm them, so he needs Sawyer to do recon. Nemesis says he's not worried about anyone hurting Sawyer, because he's the best liar he's ever met. He tells Sawyer to do whatever to gain their trust, find out the information, and get back. Sawyer asks why he's doing this. Nemesis says, he'll do it to get on the plane, fly off the Island, and never look back.

===========

Sawyer walks into a bar, and calls Miles to ask about the girl he's supposed to meet. Miles says she's a redhead, and Sawyer goes to meet Charlotte. He says it's a pleasure to meet her, and they sit down to dinner. He teases her about studying archeology, and she says she gets to travel quite a bit. He asks if she's like Indiana Jones, and she says yes. He asks if she has a whip, and she says maybe. She asks about him, and why he became a cop. He says he won't bore her with an explanation, and she says not to treat her like all the other girls that ask him. He says he got to a point in his life where he was either a criminal or a cop, so he chose cop.

Later, the two lay in bed together. He jokes that she should bring the whip next time. He gets up to get her some water, and she asks to borrow his t-shirt. She ruffles through his drawers and finds a folder called "Sawyer" with a photo of his family. She looks through the folder, and he comes in asking what she's doing. He asks what she saw, and she denies seeing anything. He gets angry and yells at her to get out.

Sawyer docks on the Hydra Island and walks through the jungle, finding the cage he was kept in and Kate's dress.

Kate asks Sayid if he believes Locke. Sayid says he believes him. Kate asks if he's alright, and Sayid says no. Claire tackles Kate and draws a knife on her. Kate cries for Sayid to help, and Nemesis pulls Claire off of her. He tells her that Kate did what she had to do, and when she starts yelling, he slaps her. He tells her this is inappropriate. He tells her to leave and that he'll deal with her in a minute. He turns and asks Kate if she's alright. Kate shouts that she's not alright. Nemesis goes to talk to Claire.

Sawyer finds the Ajira plane and looks around. He looks through some supplies outside of it and a camp fire. He finds a path leading away from it and starts to follow, finding a pile of bodies. He hears a noise from the jungle and draws his gun. He sees a figure running, and tackles it. It's a woman, and she says she's the only one left.

===========

Liam Pace asks about his brother at the police precinct, and Sawyer passes him by. Liam says his brother was arrested for a drug charge and Sawyer says it's not his department. Miles tells Sawyer to come with him.

Miles slams Sawyer into a locker and asks if there's something he wants to tell him. Sawyer says she opened the wrong drawer. Miles seems confused, and asks why he was in Australia instead of Palm Springs. He shouts that Sawyer lied to him, and they're supposed to trust each other. He asks what he was doing in Australia again. Sawyer says it's none of his damn business. Miles says that's right, because they're not partners anymore. Sawyer punches in a mirror.

Sawyer offers water to the strange woman and introduces himself. She says her name is Zoe. She says she couldn't believe anyone else from the plane was alive, but he says he's not from that plane. He asks for her story, and she says the plane crashed and they were all waiting for someone to rescue them. She says she was out collecting wood when she heard screaming. When she came back, everyone was dead. She says she spent the last two days dragging their bodies, because she didn't want to leave their bodies out in the sun. She asks if he's alone. He says no, there's a group of people on the main Island and he can take her back there.

Kate cries alone. Nemesis approaches and tells her he's sorry. He says he has to take responsibility for Claire's behavior since he told her the others had her baby. She asks why he'd tell her that. Nemesis asks if she's ever had an enemy that she needed to hate. He says Claire was devastated and needed something to keep her going. But when Kate told her she had Aaron all that hate refocused on her. Kate says that's very insightful for a dead man. Locke says no one's perfect. He says he's sorry it happened and he'll make it right. He promises to keep everyone safe, including her. Kate asks where Sawyer went. He offers his hand and says he'll show her.

Sawyer asks Zoe if the plane will fly. She says she doesn't know, and asks if he came across a pilot. Zoe asks about how many were on his plane, and when he crashed. She asks if they all have guns, and mentions that whoever killed those people might come back. He says they've all got guns. He asks where she was going, and she says Guam to meet her boyfriend. He draws a gun on her and says she's good, but not that good. She asks what he's talking about, and she whistles, calling out men from the forest who draw guns on Sawyer. He asks if her name is Zoe. She asks if his name is Sawyer. He kneels down and says, take me to your leader.

===========

Nemesis takes Kate to the beach and sits down. He tells her he sent Sawyer to the Island. She says he could've just told her that, but he says he wouldn't have been able to talk to her. He says he's not a dead man. He says he knows what she's feeling and what she's going through. He tells her that his mother was crazy. A long time ago, before he looked like this, he had a mother and she was a very disturbed woman. As a result of that, he says, he had some growing pains that he's still working through. He says they could've been avoided had things been different. Now, he says, Aaron has a crazy mother too.

The men lead Sawyer through the brush and he sees some putting up some equipment. He finds himself being brought to the dock where a submarine waits. Zoe sends him into a hatch and says "he" is waiting. Sawyer descends the ladder.

Sawyer comes home, takes off his gun and badge, and makes himself an instant dinner. He watches TV while he eats, as the father from Little House on the Prarie talks about how people aren't really gone when they die. He gets up.

Sawyer visits Charlotte with a flower. She says he has to be joking. He asks if he can come in, and she says absolutely not. She says he can't just kick her out and come back looking sad. She says he blew it, and closes the door on him. He leaves the sunflower outside her door.

Sawyer walks through the sub, and finds one door with padlocks. He asks what's inside, and Zoe says it's none of his business. He enters a room with Charles Widmore, who asks her to leave them. Widmore gets up and introduces himself. He asks if he knows who he is. Sawyer says yes, he sent a freighter to the Island with guys to kill them all. Widmore says it's sad how little he understands. Sawyer says he understands Widmore murdered all those people in the ditch. Widmore says they didn't murder them, but he doesn't expect him to believe that. Sawyer says he doesn't. Widmore asks why did he come to this Island. Sawyer says that John Locke sent him. Widmore counters that Locke is dead, and Sawyer says they both know the guy isn't really John Locke. He tells them he can go to Locke and tell them the coast is clear, and then bring him to his doorstep so Widmore can kill him. Widmore asks what he wants in exchange. Sawyer says the people he comes back with don't get touched, and they get safe passage off the Island. Widmore asks how he knows he can trust him. Sawyer says, the same way he knows he can trust him. He asks if they have an agreement. Widmore extends his hand, and Sawyer shakes it.

===========

Kate walks through the jungle and sees Claire. She draws her gun, but Claire says she's sorry. She says she knows what she did is because she cared about her and Aaron. Claire thanks Kate for taking care of him. She hugs her and apologizes over and over as Kate reassures her.

Nemesis comes to greet Sawyer at the beach. Sawyer asks if he didn't really send him over to find passengers from the plane. Nemesis says no. Sawyer says in case he's interested, they're all dead. He says he doesn't know what happened, but there's a man over there named Widmore that won't let them get on the plane without a fight. He says he counted at least six armed men with him, and tells him about the locked room. He says they're setting up pylons to keep out the Smoke Monster. Nemesis asks what he told him about him. Sawyer tells him that he told him he'd come back and tell him the coast is clear, so they'll be surprised when they change their plan of attack. Nemesis says he appreciates his loyalty. Sawyer says, he said he'd get him off the Island, and a deal is a deal.

Sawyer pulls up to a curb and tells Miles to get in the car. He hands him the "Sawyer" folder, and Miles asks who it is. Sawyer tells him about his history with the man that shot his mother and killed himself. He says Sawyer was a grifter and con man that he's been hunting down since he left the academy. He says he chased a lead in Australia, got a listing of Anthony Coopers. He says he's been calling them, and when he finds the right one, he's going to kill him. Miles asks why he didn't tell him any of this. Sawyer says he thought he'd try to talk him out of it. Miles says he's damn right. Sawyer says, fair enough.

A car suddenly crashes into Sawyer's, and someone gets out and starts running away. Sawyer gives chase and tackles the person, and it's Kate.

Sawyer finds Kate at the fire and asks what's for dinner. She says rabbit, she thinks. He sits down with her and she asks what he's doing running errands. He says he's not running errands for anybody. She says he sent him to the other Island. Sawyer tells her about Widmore and his team who came for Nemesis. Kate asks what he's going to do. He says he's going to let them fight it out, and while they've got their hands full, they're getting the hell off the Island. Kate asks who's going to fly the plane. He says they're not taking the plane; they're taking the sub.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• Why did Nemesis need to kill everyone if he wasn't in direct danger?
• Did Charlotte really stumble across Sawyer's folder accidentally?
• Who was the "crazy mother" Nemesis was referring to?
• What is in the locked room on the sub?
• Who murdered the people in the ditch?
• Why was Kate running in the flash-sideways?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What were the three books Detective James Ford had in his bedroom?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• "Protect the Island U." - Class is in Session (say what??)
• You Need to Cross the Line from Time to Time (say what??)

Next, on Lost: Ab Aeterno

Ben contemplates the decisions that have driven his life, while his alternate self comes to a hard decision regarding how much importance he places on power.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: People that Jacob has "touched" are given the gift of immortality; Ben has been accepted by Jacob's followers despite his crimes, and refused to follow Nemesis.

Summary

Ben runs through the jungle, then tripping and falling. He sees the fires of Ilana's party and runs to them. She asks where Sayid is, and Ben tells them he killed Dogen and Lennon. Ben suggests they go to the beach so they'll be on familiar ground, and Ilana agrees.

Ben teaches his students about the history of Elba, telling them Napoleon was there as Emperor but without any power it was meaningless. The bell rings and he tells them chapters 5 and 6 are due tomorrow. Principal Reynolds enters and tells him to walk with him. Reynolds tells him they need him to help with detention duty, but Ben argues that he's needed in History Club. Reynolds tells him he's the one who needs the club to feel needed, but now "Mr. Linus" is needed in detention. As Reynolds walks away, Ben says it's Dr. Linus.

Ben sits with Artz in the teacher's lounge, who's lamenting his ruined shirt and old equipment. Ben tells him Reynolds is an administrator and has forgotten that public school is about taking care of the kids. Artz is cynical, but Ben says he refuses to give up. From across the table, Locke suggests that Ben should be the principal because he cares. Ben asks who would listen to him. Locke says he's listening.

Miles asks Ben what the Smoke Monster was, and Ben says that thing is what killed their friends at the statue. Ilana asks, and Jacob? Ben reluctantly agrees. Ilana asks if Miles can speak to the dead, and he says he needs something from their body. She hands him the bag of ashes and tells him it's what's left of Jacob's body. So, she asks, how did he die? Miles communes with the bag and tells her that Ben killed him. Ben protests, and Ilana asks if it's true. Miles assures her it is. Ilana says thank you, and mentions that Jacob was the closest thing she had to a father. They continue their trip into the woods.

----------------

Ilana leads the others to the beach, and tells them she's going to find tools to work on shelter. She tells the others to work on starting a fire. Ben asks if there's anything she'd like him to do, but she ignores him. She tries to convince him that Miles is unreliable and tried to blackmail him once, but she walks away.

Ben takes an instant meal out of his microwave and gives it to his father, Roger. He says it's organic and he's trying to keep him healthy. Roger asks how work was, and Ben says he has a doctorate in European history and he's babysitting detention. He says the worst part is how he can't help thinking that he's more a loser than any of the kids in detention. His father tells him he wanted more for him, and that's why he signed up for the DHARMA Initiative. He says to imagine how their lives would've been if they had stayed. He says, who knows what Ben could've become.

The doorbell rings, and Ben goes to see Alex. She asks where he was and says they had to cancel History Club. He tells her about his detention duty. She says the AP test was on Friday and she was counting on the tutoring. He tells her he'll tutor her tomorrow morning in the library. She says he's the best, and he tells her it's his pleasure.

Ilana works on the shelter, and Sun asks how long they'll stay here. She says she doesn't know, but Sun insists on finding her husband. Ilana says she wants to find him too, but she can't yet. Sun asks what she means, and Ilana explains that her name is Kwon, so she's supposed to protect one or both of them. Sun asks what that means, and Ilana tells her that they're candidates to replace Jacob. She says there are only six candidates left.

Jack wakes up Hurley in a thicket. He says they can make the Temple by nightfall, and suggests they hurry and eat on the way. Hurley says maybe they should take their time, but is too vague on why. Jack starts to leave and Hurley follows. He tries to direct him off to the side, but Jack doesn't fall for it. Richard appears from the woods and says they're both wrong, and the Temple is off in a totally different direction. Jack asks where he came from, and Richard says he can't say yet. He says if they want to get to the Temple, to follow him. Hurley asks if Jack trusts him, and he says at least Richard isn't stalling.

Ben rummages through at tent and finds a bottle of water from Oceanic. Ben talks about the plane crash and Frank observes he sounds nostalgic. Frank tells him he was supposed to have flown it, and mentions how different life would've been. Ben says it wouldn't have been that different, since the Island still got him in the end. Ilana holds a gun to Ben's neck and tells him to walk.

She leads him to a clearing out near the graves. He starts to tell her she doesn't have to do this, but she makes him lay down on the ground. She attaches a harness to his leg, and tells him to dig a grave. He asks for who, and she says it's for him.

----------------

Ben quizzes Alex on history. She gets frustrated with a question, and he assures her it's only a test. She says it's her entire life; her mom works two jobs, so she needs a scholarship to pay for Yale, if she can even get in. He assures her she's bright and he's not worried about her. He offers a letter of recommendation, and she says she needs someone who went there. But she only knows the pervert Reynolds. He asks what she meant, and she says to forget it. He presses, and she asks him to promise to keep it between them. He promises and she says she fell asleep in the nurse's office a few months ago. She says the principal and the nurse were having sex in the room right next to her. She asks again if he's going to tell anyone, and he says no, a promise is a promise.

Ben digs his grave as Ilana watches. Miles observes he's not tearing it up, and Ben says he's not in a hurry. Miles says he brought food, and Ben says he's not hungry. Miles starts to walk away. Ben mentions that he can still get Miles the millions of dollars he wanted. Miles asks why he'd do that when Nikki and Paulo are buried there and left diamonds behind. Ben lashes out, saying Ilana is going to murder him for killing a man who didn't even care. Miles says, no, Jacob cared. He says Jacob hoped he was wrong about Ben, but he guesses he was right. Ilana fires a warning shot and orders Ben to continue to dig.

Hurley asks Richard if he's a time traveler, and asks why he looks the same as he did 50 years ago. Richard says it's not easy to explain, and that Jacob gave him a gift. Hurley asks what he knows about him. Richard says he knows he's dead, and they come to the Black Rock. Hurley says he thought they were going to the Temple. Richard says he lied, because everyone at the Temple is dead. Jack asks what he means. Richard says he doesn't know what happened but he just came from there and there were no survivors. Jack asks about Sayid and Kate, and Richard says they weren't there, so maybe they made it out alive. Richard says whatever he was looking for it's not there. Jack observes that Hurley was avoiding going, and Hurley says Jacob hinted at it. Richard asks if Hurley spoke to Jacob. Hurley says yes, and Richard tells him whatever Jacob said, don't believe it. Richard starts to leave, and says he needs to do something. Jack asks what, and Richard tells him: die.

----------------

Artz grades tests and Ben comes in, asking if he has a minute. He asks if Artz is good with computers, and if he could hypothetically access an e-mail account. Artz says it depends on the faculty member. Ben tells him, the nurse. He says he's curious about some of her correspondence. Artz asks, with whom? Ben stays quiet, and Artz starts to walk away. Ben tells him he has reason to believe she might be engaged in an inappropriate personal relationship with Principal Reynolds. Artz says he's going after the big job. Ben asks if he's going to help him or not. Artz says he wants a good parking spot, more aprons, and better lab equipment. Ben tells him it's a deal. Artz says Ben is a real killer.

Ben continues to dig his grave.

Richard looks through the remains of the Black Rock. Jack comes in with a lantern and asks if he's been here before. Richard says yes, and after all the time he's spent on this Island this is the first time he's come back. Hurley comes in and finds the two, and Richard opens up one of the crates of dynamite. He puts one stick in his pocket, and Hurley says Artz made the same mistake. Hurley says he's grabbing dynamite and wants to kill himself. Richard says he can't kill himself, that's why he wants them to do it for him. Jacob touched him, and it's supposed to be a gift, but it's actually a curse. He drops a stick and Hurley shouts with fear. Jack asks why Richard wants to die. He says he's devoted his life in service of a man who told him everything was happening for a reason and he had a plan. He says Jacob was supposed to share the plan when the time was right, but now he's gone. He says he wants to die because his purpose in life is gone. He says if he lights the stick it won't work, but Jack can light it for him and they can still get out in time. Hurley protests, but Jack takes the lantern and lights the stick. As the wick burns, Jack sits and says, now, let's talk.

----------------

Hurley urges Jack to go, but Jack says he needs to talk to Richard. Hurley decides to run, and Richard says Jack should go with him. Richard says he's going to die, and Jack says neither of them are going to die. He tells him about Jacob's lighthouse, and that Jacob wanted him to know that he was being watched since he was a kid. He says that if Jacob went through that much trouble, he brought him here for a reason, and that wasn't to blow up sitting here. Richard says that's a pretty big risk, and what if he's wrong? Jack says, he's not. The wick burns down, and dissipates. Jack laughs and asks if Richard wants to try another stick. Richard says he seems to have all the answers, so now what? Jack says, they go back to where they started.

Ben hears the sound of the Smoke Monster and peaks up from his grave. Nemesis greets him, and Ben asks what he's doing here. Nemesis says visiting, and asks what he's doing. Ben says he's digging his own grave because he talked him into killing Jacob. He says Ilana was Jacob's bodyguard and now she's going to kill him, so he got what he wanted. Nemesis says he doesn't want Ben to die, he went back to the statue to get him but he was gone. Ben says, for what? Nemesis says, he's getting ready to leave the Island for good, but someone needs to be in charge of the Island. He says he can't think of anyone better. Ben protests, but his shackle comes off. Nemesis tells him to go to the Hydra to meet with them, and gives him advice on where and how to ambush Ilana to make his escape. He tells him not to hesitate, because she won't. Nemesis leaves. Ben considers for a moment, then runs.

Reynolds sits in his office, surprised by Ben coming in. Ben says he has something to read. Reynolds looks at the e-mails and freezes. Ben says the acts described in those e-mails took place on school property and would be frowned upon by the school board and Reynolds' own wife. He says Reynolds is going to retire for whatever reason, and recommend Ben for the position of principal. He says they hold Reynolds in such esteem that he'll get the job. Reynolds says he wants Ben to read an e-mail too. Ben reads the e-mail about Alex asking for a recommendation letter. He says those work both ways, so he puts the ball back in Ben's court. He says if Ben takes the job, he will torch Alex. He asks if his job is that important to him. He asks what it will be, Dr. Linus?

Ben finds a gun where Nemesis specified, and holds it to Ilana. He has her drop her gun, and she does. She asks what he's waiting for. He says he wants to explain, that he knows what she's feeling. He says he watched his daughter die in front of him, and it was his fault. He says he had a chance to save her, but he chose the Island over her for Jacob. He says he sacrificed everything for Jacob, and he didn't care. He says when he stabbed Jacob, he was angry and terrified that he was going to lose the only thing that mattered to him, his power. But the thing that really mattered was gone. He says he's sorry he killed Jacob, and he doesn't expect forgiveness because he can't forgive himself. She asks what he wants. He says he just wants to leave. She asks where he'll go, and he says to "Locke," because he's the only one that will have him. Ilana says she'll have him. She takes her gun and turns her back on him and walks away. He follows.

----------------

Ben walks into the principal's office, and Alex knocks and enters. She says she was just coming by to thank Reynolds for his letter of recommendation. She asks if he had anything to do with it, and Ben says she's always been a great student. Reynolds enters and asks what he's doing in his office. Ben says he's just dropping off some forms, and tells Alex he'll see her in History Club. She asks when it's going to come back, and he says they got their old slot back, since Reynolds found someone to cover detention for him. He says he'll see Alex at 4.

Artz catches up with him outside and asks if he did it. Ben says no. Artz complains about his parking space, and Ben says he can have his. He looks at Alex as she exits the office.

Ben follows Ilana back to the beach camp. He sees Sun and puts down the gun he was carrying. He asks if she needs a hand, and she asks him to help her with the tarp. He does as Frank builds a fire. Miles finds Nikki and Paulo's stash of diamonds. Ilana cries holding Jacob's ashes. Hurley, Richard, and Jack come from behind some bushes to join the camp. Sun hugs Hurley, then Jack. They all greet each other. Jack regards Ben, standing alone at the edge of the crowd.

In the water, a submarine raises its periscope to look at the crowd on the beach. The periscope man tells Widmore there are people on the beach, and asks if they should stop. No, Widmore says, proceed as planned.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• What happened at DHARMA to make Roger and Ben Linus leave?
• Who are the six remaining candidates?
• What purpose does Jacob have for Jack?
• Why did Nemesis promise Ben control of the Island?
• What is Widmore's plan? Who's side is he on?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

In the flash sideways timeline, Ben worked at the same high school as Leslie Arzt. In the original timeline, what was Arzt doing in Australia?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• 'Lost' theory: Is Jacob related to the Man In Black? (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: Coming soon!

Sayid is forced to choose who he trusts, while Kate and Claire come face to face for the first time since her disappearance.

ABC Preview:

Sayid is faced with a difficult decision, and Claire sends a warning to the temple inhabitants.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: Sayid has allied himself with Nemesis, killing Dogen and Lennon in the process.

Summary

Sayid hands money to a taxi driver, and exits with flowers. He approaches a house and rings the doorbell. Nadia answers, and he kisses her. Two children (Zack and Emma) ask "Uncle Sayid" where he was, and he says Australia. Sayid's brother Omar approaches asking why he brought flowers to his wife, and Sayid jokes he'll give them to him instead.

At dinner, the kids ask what he brought from Australia, and he tells them to check his bag. Omar sarcastically says they're lucky he showed up, and Sayid explains how dull his job is translating business contracts. Omar is a manager of his own business, Nadia says, and just opened a new store. Omar gets a call. She chides him for taking it, but he says dinner is over and leaves to take the call. Nadia asks Sayid if he got her letters. He says yes, but she says she never heard back. The kids rush back into the room with boomerangs, and Emma mentions that they found a picture of Nadia in his bag. Omar looks on.

Sayid demands to talk to Dogen, saying he wants answers. He asks about the machine they hooked him up to, and what the test is. Dogen says every man has a scale balancing good and evil. He says the machine tells them how the scale is balanced, and Sayid's tipped the wrong way. That's why they tried to poison him, Dogen explains. Sayid says they don't know him, he's a good man. Dogen kicks him down, but Sayid fights him off and the two start to brawl. Eventually, Dogen pulls a knife and almost stabs Sayid. Instead, he tells him to leave and never come back.

Nemesis asks Claire if she's ready, and she suggests he do it himself. He says if he could do it himself, he wouldn't be asking her. She says if she goes in there, she wants her son back. He tells her that he always does what he says. She asks if he's going to hurt them, and Nemesis tells her he'll only hurt the ones that won't listen.

----------------

Sayid sleeps on the couch, and grabs Omar when he approaches. Omar tells him that he's in trouble, and Sayid asks what kind of trouble. Omar says he's out of money, but he borrowed from a loan shark. Sayid says if he needs money, he'll lend it. Omar says he doesn't need money, the loan shark needs convincing. Omar says he knows what he did in the war, and he knows what kind of man Sayid is. Sayid says that he won't hurt someone for a bad business decision, but Omar begs him. He says he knows Sayid cares about Nadia, and if he cares about her, he'll do this for him. Sayid says he's sorry, but he's not that man anymore.

Miles approaches Sayid, asking what he's doing. Sayid says he's leaving, and has been banished. Miles asks for what, and Sayid says apparently he's evil. He says he's better off dead, which is ironic since they saved his life. Miles says they tried to save him, but he was dead for two hours. He points out that when Sayid came back he was just as surprised as the rest of them, so whatever brought him back it wasn't them.

Claire enters and the guards draw their guns. Lennon asks what she's doing, and she says "he" wants to see Dogen. He asks who, and Claire says he knows who. Claire says he wants Dogen to go to him and is waiting outside. Dogen says he's not a fool, if he steps outside he'll be killed. Claire says he should send someone he won't kill. Dogen tells Lennon to put Claire in the hole and get him Shepard and Reyes. Lennon says they can't find them, and Dogen orders him to find them immediately. Dogen tells Sayid to come with him. Sayid says he thought he wanted him to leave. Dogen says things have changed.

He asks where Jack and Hurley went, and Sayid says he doesn't know. Sayid asks about Claire, and Dogen calls her a confused girl under the influence of an angry man. Sayid asks, what man? Dogen says he's been trapped for years, but now with Jacob gone, he's free. He says he won't stop until he's destroyed every living thing on the Island, and calls him evil incarnate. Dogen takes out a knife, and says he wants him to kill him. Dogen says he'll come to him as someone he knows, who has died. He says as soon as Sayid sees him, he needs to plunge the knife deep into his chest. If he allows him to speak it's already too late. Sayid asks why he'd ever do anything for him. Dogen says that Sayid claimed there is still good in his soul, so he should prove it.

----------------

Zack asks how long Sayid will be spending with them, and he says just a few days since he has to go to Toronto for work. They say that they and their mom like it when he stays. He kisses them and helps them board their school bus. Nadia runs out for him with a concerned look.

In a hospital, they see Omar in a stretcher. A doctor explains that he has a punctured lung, and that EMTs think he was mugged. Sayid starts to leave, but Nadia tells him whatever he's thinking of doing, don't do it. She asks him to go home and wait for the kids. He hugs her.

Sayid walks through the jungle, and meets up with Kate. She asks if he's leaving, and he says he's not sure. She asks what she missed, and he tells her to ask Miles. At the Temple, Miles says Sawyer sent her packing. He says he thought about coming after him too, but he'd end up being berated until he came back. She says that's pretty much what happened. She asks what happened, and he tells her the "Australian chick" is back. He says she strolled in acting strange. Kate urgently asks where she is.

Sayid sets his pack down and takes a drink from his canteen. The leaves begin to rustle, and he draws his knife. Nemesis appears and tells him hello. Sayid immediately stabs him with the knife, and Nemesis pulls it out. He asks, why'd you go and do that?

----------------

Nemesis offers the knife back to Sayid, who takes it. Sayid asks what he is, and Nemesis says he seems to have some idea since he stabbed him without saying hello. Nemesis asks what they said, and Sayid explains they said he's evil incarnate. Nemesis says he feels sorry for him, because Dogen knew he had no chance of killing him, and he believed Nemesis would kill him for trying. Nemesis says shame on him for trying to talk him into it. Sayid asks what he's trying to talk him into. Nemesis says he wants him to deliver a message, because it will mean more coming from him than Claire. He offers Sayid anything he wants in the world. Sayid says the only thing he ever wanted died in his arms and he'll never see it again. Nemesis asks, what if you could?

Nadia finds Sayid gluing a vase, who explains that they had an incident with a boomerang. She asks when the kids went to bed, and he says two hours ago. He says he told them that daddy had an accident but he'll be fine. Nadia says he's recovering from surgery, but he's awake now. Nadia asks if Sayid knew about the loan. She says Omar brought this on himself. After a moment of silence, she asks why he didn't want to be with her. She asks if he cares about her, why did he push her towards his brother? He says the last 12 years he's been trying to wash his hands of the horrible things he's done. He says he can't be with her because he doesn't deserve her.

Dogen asks Sayid what happened. Sayid tells everyone there's a man in the jungle about a mile south. He says he was sent to send a message that Jacob is dead. And because he's gone, they don't have to stay here, they're free. He says the man he met is leaving the Island forever, and those who want to join him can leave the Temple. He says they have until sundown. Cindy asks what happens if they stay. Sayid tells her, they die.

Lennon asks Kate when she got back, but Kate demands to know where Claire is and pushes him to the wall. He leads her to the hole and tells her she has two minutes. Kate looks down into the hole and greets Claire. She asks if Claire is okay. Claire asks if they captured her too. Kate says no, and asks why they put her down here. Claire says they took Aaron, and Kate explains that she took him off the Island to raise him. She says she came back to rescue Claire so she could be with him. Claire says she's not the one that needs to be rescued. The guards pull Kate away, and Claire calls that he's coming, and they can't stop him.

----------------

Lennon urges calm among the Temple residents, and he tells Sayid that he created a panic. Sayid says he just left a message, and what his people do is up to them. Cindy starts to leave and Lennon urges them to stay in the Temple. Cindy says Jacob's dead and it isn't safe here. Lennon shouts that it's a bluff, and Nemesis can't get in. Miles asks what's going on, and Sayid pulls the knife, saying he has to return it.

A man asks Sayid if he's going to pick up the kids. He he tells Sayid to get in the car, unless he wants them to pick up the kids together. Sayid gets in, meets with a man in the back of a kitchen. He takes a seat. The man, Keamy, asks if wants some eggs, but Sayid refuses. Keamy finishes his own meal and introduces himself. He asks Sayid how his brother is doing, and talks about how he was mugged in front of his store. Keamy says at least he's still around to take care of his family.

Keamy says Sayid is a direct guy, so he'll get to it. He says his brother owes him money. Sayid says Omar has paid him everything he owes. Keamy calls it a lie, but Sayid simply asks if he put his brother in the hospital. Keamy says he didn't do it, it's a dangerous world. Sayid disarms the guards and holds a gun to Keamy. Keamy says it's done, and that Omar doesn't owe him anything. He tells him to relax and forget about it. Sayid says he can't, and he shoots Keamy. Sayid hears a noise from the fridge, and enters to find Jin. He takes the tape off his mouth, and Jin talks in Korean. Sayid asks who he is, and Jin says "no English."

----------------

Dogen looks at his baseball outside the foyer pool. He says that Sayid let him talk to him. Sayid says he stabbed in in the chest, and then he let him talk to him. He drops the knife and says that's twice he let someone else try to kill him. He asks why Dogen didn't just kill Sayid himself. Dogen says he was a businessman in Osaka, at a bank. He says he was good at his job, and was promoted. His associates took him out to celebrate and he had too much to drink. He says every Friday he would pick his 12-year-old son up from baseball. He says he got in an accident; he survived but his son didn't. He tells him that in the hospital, a man he never met came to him. He says the man told him that if he could save his son's life, Dogen would have to come to the Island for a new job and he could never see his son again.

Sayid asks who the man was, and Dogen says his name was Jacob. Sayid observes that Jacob drives a hard bargain. Dogen asks if Nemesis offered a similar bargain, and Sayid says yes. Dogen notices it's sundown, and asks if Sayid will stay or go. Sayid says he'd like to stay, then grabs Dogen and forces him into the water, holding him under until he goes limp. Lennon comes in, asking what he's done. Lennon says Dogen was the only thing keeping it out, and Sayid just let it in. Sayid takes the knife and kills Lennon, and says he knows.

Next, on Lost: Dr. Linus

Jacob gives Hurley a mission to bring someone to the Island, while Claire reveals her new allegiances and the lengths she'll go for Aaron.

ABC Preview:

Hurley must convince Jack to accompany him on an unspecified mission, and Jin stumbles across an old friend.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: Nemesis is Claire's "friend"; Jacob has a special task for Jack.

Summary

Jack walks into his house and puts his keys down, then washing his face. He looks at the scar on his side pensively and gets a phone call. His mother is asking about the coffin, and he says the airline thinks it was lost in Berlin. She asks how she's supposed to get anything done, she can't find his will or papers anywhere. Jack promises he'll come over and they'll find it together. He asks when he got his appendix taken out, and she says he was 7 or 8, and that his father wanted to do it himself but wasn't allowed. She asks if he remembers and he says he guesses he does. He looks at the time and rushes off the phone and out the door.

He pulls up to St. Mary's Academy and finds a young boy sitting on the steps. He apologizes for being late to the boy, David, who calls him "dad."

Jack looks out at the water of the Temple. Dogen says he was afraid Jack had left, and Jack asks if it was an option. Dogen says everything is an option, but he would have to stop him. Dogen asks if Jack's friends are coming back, and Jack tells him no, they probably aren't.

Hurley and Miles play tic-tac-toe, to another tie. Hurley asks if Miles is hungry, and leaves to get some food. Hurley goes into the Temple and sees Jacob dipping his fingers in the water. Hurley asks what he's doing here, and Jacob says he needs him. Jacob says he should get a pen, he'll have to write a few things down. Hurley asks what kinds of things. Jacob says someone is coming to the Island, and he needs Hurley to help him find it.

----------------

David takes some books out of his bag, and Jack tells him he hooked up the cable so he can watch the Red Sox. He picks up a book and asks if he's reading it, and David says yes. Jack says he always wanted to read it to him when he was little. David walks away; Jack follows and tells him to take off his headphones. Jack asks who he's listening to, and David says he hasn't heard of them. Jack says he's trying to have a conversation, and David says they only see each other once a month, so can't they just get through it? Jack gets a phone call and his mom asks if he's coming over, and he says he's heading over now. He asks David if he wants to come, but he refuses. Jack promises to be back in about an hour and they'll eat.

Sayid approaches Jack and asks why everyone is staring at him. Jack advises him to just ignore them. Sayid talks about the infection and the pill, and Jack's disappearance; he asks what Jack is hiding from him. Jack tells him the pill was poison and they wanted him to kill him. He says that whatever happened, they say it happened to someone else too. Sayid asks, who?

Claire approaches Jin, whose leg is bloody in the trap. She kicks Justin's body, and grabs a metal rod to pry open the trap. He asks how long she's been out here, and she says, since they all left. She asks how long it was, and he says it's been 3 years. She says she has to get him somewhere safe, and helps him up. He tries to walk, but passes out.

Hurley reads some writing on his arm while looking through the hieroglyphs on the Temple walls. He finds one like an Omega, and Dogen asks what he's doing. He says he's just looking around because he's a fan of Temples, history, Indiana Jones stuff. Dogen tells him to go back to the courtyard, but Jacob appears, and instructs him to tell Dogen he can do what he wants because he's a candidate. Hurley does so, and Dogen asks who told him that. Hurley says it doesn't matter, and asks why Dogen doesn't go back to the courtyard. Dogen speaks in his native tongue and leaves. Jacob asks what he's doing, since he asked him to bring Jack with him. Hurley says it's hard to get Jack to do things, but Jacob says he has to. Hurley says this is already hard, and he lied to a samurai. He says if Jacob has ideas, he's listening. Jacob smiles.

Hurley approaches Jack outside and tells him to act cool, wait 10 seconds, and follow him. Jack questions him, and Hurley says that Jacob told him about it. Jack says he's not going. Hurley says Jacob said he'd say that, so he told him to tell him "you have what it takes." Jack gets up and asks Hurley where Jacob is. Hurley says he's dead, but he turns up wherever he wants like Obi-Wan Kenobi. But, he says, if Jack wants to see him, he's where they're going. Jack says, let's go see Jacob.

----------------

Jin wakes up in a makeshift shack, and calls for Claire. He stumbles up, finding dynamite next to him, a cradle, and an oar he uses for a crutch. He takes the covering off the cradle and finds animal remains. Claire brings Justin in, saying he was pretending to be dead but wasn't. She knocks him down and says she wants to know where he's hiding her son. She says she should get Jin's wound cleaned up before the infection gets him. Jin asks if she's been out here all this time by herself, and she says she's not by herself. Justin struggles and says they have to get out of here now. Jin says it's okay, he knows her. Justin says he knows her, and if they don't get out of here now she's going to kill them both.

Hurley and Jack walk through the jungle, coming to a fork. Jack asks which way, and Hurley chooses a path. Jack sees a backpack, and Kate pulls a gun on him. He says it's okay, and she puts it away. Jack asks where Jin and Sawyer are, and she explains that Jin went back and Sawyer is on his own. Hurley tells her how to get back into the Temple, and she says she's going to find Claire. Jack tells her she's not at the beach, and explains that the people at the Temple said something happened to her. He tells her they didn't say where she is. He urges Kate to come with them so they can go to the Temple together. Hurley says it's just supposed to be them, but Jack insists. Kate says it's okay and that they should just go.

Jack pulls to the house of Margo, his mother. Inside, he looks through the files. She says they'll never find it, and he says it's in there somewhere. She says it's like a needle in a haystack and why he wouldn't give it to his lawyer is beyond her. She asks if he wants a drink, and he says no thanks. She says, good for you. She asks how David is holding up, and says he was really upset at the funeral. Jack seems confused, and Margo observes he didn't tell Jack. Jack says he doesn't talk much, and she says that's how Jack was with his father. Jack says that's because he was terrified of his father, and Margo says how does he know David isn't terrified of him? Jack says why would he be? She says she doesn't know, but maybe he should ask him. She finds Christian's will, and opens it. She asks Jack if his father ever mentioned a Claire Littleton.

Claire boils a mixture and sharpens an axe. Justin tells Jin to untie him before she comes back, and again emphasizes that she'll kill them both. He says he needs to snap her neck when she comes back in. She reenters, and says she's sorry Jin got stuck in the trap. She tends to the wound and starts to stitch it. Jin asks if she's been here the whole time, and she says she's had to move around a lot to hide from them, and she's lucky she's alive. Jin asks what she's going to do with Justin, and she says he's going to tell him what they did with Aaron. Justin protests, but she says she knows they have him. Claire says her father told her, and her friend told her, so she knows it's true. Jin asks who her friend is, and she asks if Jin is still her friend. He says, of course he is. Claire gets her axe and tells Justin it's his turn.

----------------

Hurley apologizes to Jack, for wrecking his game with Kate. Jack says there's nothing left to wreck, and Hurley asks what happened with them. Jack says he wasn't cut out for it, and Hurley says he'd make a great dad. Jack says he'd make a terrible dad, then finds an asthma inhaler on the floor. Hurley says it's Shannon's. Jack observes that they're at the caves that they once lived in. They find the corpses and Hurley says he totally forgot they were in there. Hurley asks, what if they time traveled to dinosaur times and died and got buried here, and the skeletons are them? He turns around to see Jack looking at Christian's coffin. Jack says he found this place chasing the ghost of his dead father, who led him here. He says that was his coffin, before he smashed it to pieces. Hurley asks why he did that, and Jack says, because he wasn't in it.

Jack comes home with pizza, but can't find David. He calls David's phone, but gets his voicemail. He leaves a message, saying that if he did something to upset him he's really sorry. He says he's driving to his mother's house, so if he's there, don't go anywhere. He rings the doorbell, but there's no answer. He opens the door with a hidden key, and goes up to David's bedroom. But he's not there. He turns on a light and sees his music sheets, and a picture of them together. Jack turns on the message machine, which is a message from the conservatory to confirm his slot at 7 PM. The next message is from Jack, from Sydney. He says he just needed to hear his voice and he'll try again later.

Hurley says it's really old school, him and Jack trekking through the jungle to do something they don't understand. Hurley asks why Jack came back to the Island. Jack turns the question around on him, and Hurley says in L.A. Jacob hopped in his cab and told him he was supposed to, so he came. Jack chuckles, and Hurley presses Jack on the question. Jack says he came back because he was broken and stupid enough to think the place could fix him. He asks Hurley how much further they've got, and Hurley says it's not far at all. They come to a lighthouse on the beach. Jack asks how it is they've never seen it before. Hurley says they weren't looking for it.

Claire demands to know where her son is, and Justin says he doesn't know. She demands he stops covering for them. She demands he stops lying, and says they tortured her. She said they captured her because she was picking their people off. Jin tries to intervene, but Claire shouts that they branded her. Claire asks again, and Justin says he doesn't know again. Claire raises her axe, and Jin finally shouts that Kate has Aaron, she took him with her. Justin says that's the truth, and if she lets him go he'll never tell anyone he saw her. Claire kills him with the axe.

----------------

Hurley and Jack head towards the lighthouse, and Jack asks if Jacob is inside. Hurley says he guesses so, but they need to turn it on. Hurley struggles with the door, and Jack kicks it open.

Jack heads into the conservatory advertising a youth concert series. He sees David playing the piano and gets teary-eyed. Another kid remarks to Jack that he's really good, and Jack looks over to see the boy hug Dogen. Dogen says they're too young to have this kind of pressure, and it's hard to watch and be unable to help. He says Jack's son has a gift. He asks how long he's been playing, and Jack says he doesn't know.

Hurley and Jack walk to the top of the lighthouse. Hurley says it's cool, and must've been built to help ships get here. Jack asks where Jacob is, and Hurley just says he's not here yet. He starts to pull on a chain and asks Jack to tell him when the mirrors get to 108 degrees. Jack sees things in the reflection of the mirror, and tells Hurley to stop. Hurley says it's just ocean. Jack looks down and sees names etched in the degrees. He finds his own name at 23 degrees, and Hurley protests before Jack turns the mirror to that point. He looks in the mirror and sees the house he grew up in. Hurley says that's weird, and Jack realizes that Jacob's been watching all of them this whole time. He asks again where Jacob is. Hurley says he doesn't know, and was just assuming that he'd be here. Jack says he wants to know why Jacob has been watching him, and demands that Hurley asks him. Hurley says it doesn't work like that, he just shows up whenever he feels like it. Jack grabs a telescope and shouts at Hurley for information, then smashes in the mirrors of the lighthouse.

----------------

David gets his bike, and Jack appears behind him telling him he was great in there. David is surprised Jack saw him, and says he missed a couple notes. Jack says it sounded perfect to him. He tells him that he scared the hell out of him. David says he was at grandma's, and he thought he could get back before he got home. Jack says he didn't know David was still playing, and David says he asked grandma not to tell him. He says he was so into it, watching him practice. He says he didn't tell him he was coming because he didn't want Jack to see him fail. Jack says when he was David's age, his father didn't want to see him fail, and used to say he didn't have what it takes. He says he spent his whole life carrying it around, and he doesn't want David to feel that way. He says he'll always love him, no matter what he does he'll never fail. He says he just wants to be a part of David's life. David says okay, and Jack tells him he has some pizza at the house. Jack says, let's go home.

Jack looks out at the ocean, and Jacob comes asking how it went. Hurley asks where he was, and Jacob says it doesn't matter. Hurley says he should've come and explained everything so Jack wouldn't freak out and break his mirror. Hurley says whoever they needed to get to the Island is screwed, and Jacob says they'll find another way. Hurley asks why he didn't care, and Jacob looks at Jack. Hurley realizes Jacob wanted Jack to see what was in the mirror.

Jacob explains that it was the only way for him to understand how important he is. He says Jack is here to do something, and he has to find that himself. Jacob says sometimes you can just hop in someone's cab and tell them what they're supposed to do. Other times, you have to let them look out at the ocean for a while. Hurley says next time he should tell him from the start. Jacob says he couldn't risk him not coming, and he had to get them as far from the Temple as possible. He says someone is going there. Hurley gets up, wanting to warn everyone, but Jacob says it's too late.

Claire tells Jin that if she hadn't killed Justin, he would've killed her. She asks why he said Kate was raising Aaron. Jin claims he was lying to save Justin's life. But, he says, Claire was right and the Others have her baby. He tells her Aaron is at the Temple and he saw him there, but she'll need him to get there. She asks how they get in, and he tells her there's a secret way. She thanks him, and says she's so glad to know he was lying, because if Kate was raising Aaron she'd have to kill her. Nemesis enters, asking if he's interrupting. Jin asks, John? Claire says it's not John, it's her friend.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• Why doesn't Jack remember his appendectomy?
• Who is David's mother?
• What was Jacob doing in the Temple's water?
• Who does Jacob want to bring to the Island?
• Why didn't anyone notice the lighthouse before?
• Did Jacob ever intend to use the lighthouse to bring in his asset?
• What does Jacob need Jack to do?
• How long has Nemesis been influencing Claire?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What is David Shephard's house number?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• A Game of Twenty LOST Meta-Questions (Debra Murphy)
• Mysteries of the 'Lost' Cave (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: Sundown - Sayid is faced with a difficult decision, and Claire sends a warning to the temple inhabitants.

Locke accepts his handicapped condition as Nemesis tempts Sawyer to join his cause, and reveals new truths along the way about the nature of the infamous lists.

ABC Preview:

Locke goes in search of help to further his cause

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers! We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: Jacob's lists were an effort to find the next protector of the Island.

Summary

A van pulls into a suburban neighborhood, and Locke lowers the wheelchair ramp to exit it. It gets stuck halfway, and he attempts to wheel off of the ramp anyway, but falls off and onto the ground. The sprinklers in the lawn come on and start to soak him, and Helen opens the door and finds him. She turns off the sprinklers and helps him inside.

Locke takes a bath as Helen talks on the phone about a wedding. She hangs up the call and suggests to Locke that they have a smaller wedding with immediate family. He says she deserves better and picks out a color swatch. She calls him sweet and they kiss. She asks how his conference was, and he tells her it was boring. She finds Jack's card and asks who he is, and Locke explains how they met. Helen suggests he call, and Locke says he was just being polite. She asks what the odds are of finding a spinal surgeon, and says maybe it's destiny. He says, maybe it is.

The Smoke Monster traverses through the woods, stopping momentarily by a Dharma house. It spots a machete, and turns back into Locke-Nemesis, picking it up and cutting loose a trap bag with Richard inside. Nemesis tells Richard it's time to talk.

----------------

Locke wheels through his office and to his cubicle. Randy tells him he got a nice tan in Australia, and asks how the conference was. Locke says he didn't learn anything but made some good contacts. Randy says that Ken Fisher told him he had to cancel his lunch. Locke says he had some jetlag, and Randy challenges him, claiming he didn't go to any events at the conference at all. Locke apologizes and asks to have the week as his vacation. Randy says his vacation is in October for his wedding. Locke apologizes again, saying where he was is personal, but Randy fires him.

Nemesis apologizes for hitting Richard. Richard asks what he wants, and Nemesis says he wants him to come with him. Richard asks why he looks like Locke, and Nemesis explains that he'd get him access to Jacob, because he's a candidate, or at least was one. Richard asks what he means, and Nemesis balks. He asks if Jacob never told him why, and explains that he would have treated Richard with respect. Nemesis offers to tell him everything if Richard will come with him. Richard refuses, and Nemesis says that people seldom get a second chance. Richard says he's not going anywhere with him. Nemesis starts to respond, but sees a small child bloodied in the distance. Richard looks and it's gone. Nemesis leaves, saying he'll see Richard sooner than he thinks.

Ben walks into the statue, finding Ilana crying. He asks if he's interrupting, and Ilana says she wants to know what happened to the other men. Ben says there's a chance she won't believe him, and she tells him to try her. Ben says that "Locke" turned to a pillar of black smoke and killed them. He claims Locke killed Jacob too, and Ilana asks why there's no body. Ben says he kicked Jacob into the fire and he burned away. Ilana gathers the ash from the fire into a pouch. Ben asks why he took Richard into the jungle, and Ilana says he's recruiting.

Nemesis walks into the Dharma village, to a house with music blaring. He looks around, and walks to the bedroom where he finds Sawyer drinking. He greets him, and Sawyer says he thought he was dead. Nemesis says, he is.

----------------

Sawyer pours a drink and hands it to Nemesis. He makes a toast, to being dead, and Nemesis remarks that Sawyer is taking this extremely well. Sawyer says he doesn't care if he's dead or time-traveling or the ghost of Christmas past. He says all he cares about is the whiskey, so to get out of his house. Nemesis says this isn't his house, he just lived here for a while. Sawyer asks who he is, because he's not John Locke. Sawyer explains that Locke was scared even when he pretended he wasn't. But Nemesis, he says, isn't scared. Nemesis asks, what if he's the person who can answer the most important question in the world: why are you on this Island? Sawyer says it's because the plane crashed, the raft blew up, and the chopper was one too heavy. Nemesis says that's not why he's here, and if he comes with him he can prove it. Sawyer says he better listen then.

Locke carries his office things out to his van. A Hum-V is parked too close, so he lowers his ramp, but it stops short of scratching it. Locke hits the hummer until the alarm goes off, and Hurley comes out to ask what he's doing. Locke asks if he's ever parked before, and Hurley points out that there was a handicap spot next to it. Locke says he can park wherever he wants, and he should stay in the lines. Hurley explains that they were supposed to reserve a spot, and explains that he owns the company. Locke says he just got fired, and Hurley calls Randy a huge douche. Hurley gives Locke a number and tells him to call it, and instructs him to say that Hugo told them to help him find a new job. He tells him to keep his chin up.

Frank sits down with Sun near Locke's body. Ilana asks where everybody is, and Sun explains that they went to the Temple. Ilana says they should go there too. Sun asks if she's alright, and Ilana says she's fine. She suggests going, and Sun asks what makes her think she's going with her. Ilana says, because she wants to find Jin, and he's at the Temple. They start to leave, and Sun asks about Locke, saying they should bury him.

Nemesis asks what Sawyer was doing, he says drinking. He asks where his friends were, and Sawyer tells him about the Temple. Tired of the questions, Sawyer suggests they stop talking. The child appears again, and Sawyer asks who he is. Sawyer tells him that he can see him, and Nemesis chases after the boy. Nemesis falls, and the boy says that he knows the rules: he can't kill him. Nemesis shouts not to tell him what he can't do.

----------------

Sawyer searches the jungle, calling out for Locke. He says whoever he is, he has 20 seconds before he's out of here. Richard comes out of the jungle, asking where he is. Sawyer says he ran off, and Richard, panicked, tells him they have to go to the Temple. Sawyer says Nemesis has answers, and Richard says Sawyer doesn't understand: he wants everyone dead, everyone he cares about. Nemesis comes back and asks who he was talking to. Sawyer says nobody, and asks if he caught up with the kid. Nemesis asks, what kid? Sawyer says they should get on with it.

A woman, Lynn, asks what kind of animal Locke would describe himself as. He doesn't understand, but she presses on, asking if he would describe himself as a people person. He gives a quizzical look and asks to speak to her supervisor. Lynn says she'll go get her, and Rose enters introducing herself as the office supervisor. She asks what she can do, and Locke says she can save the questions about what kind of animal he is and place himself in a job. He suggests a site coordinator, and she says it isn't a good match. He talks about his experience, but she says experience isn't the issue. He mentions Hurley, and she says that's her boss so if he wants it, she can make it happen. But if she sends him there, the day after he'll be back in her office. She tells him they should be a little more realistic. He asks what she knows about being realistic, and she reveals that she has terminal cancer. She says she had a hard time accepting it, but she got past the denial part and got back to living whatever life she has left. So, she suggests, how about finding a job you can do.

Sawyer asks Nemesis if he reads books, he says who doesn't. Sawyer talks about Of Mice and Men, and Nemesis says no, that was a little after his time. Sawyer talks about George and Lenny, and how George killed Lenny out in the woods. Nemesis says that doesn't sound like a happy ending. Sawyer cocks and points his gun, and says "it ain't." Nemesis asks what's on his mind, and Sawyer says he wonders what would happen if he put a bullet in his head. Nemesis says, why don't we find out? Sawyer asks what he is. Nemesis says, what he is, is trapped. He says he's been trapped so long he doesn't remember what it feels like to be free. He says before he was trapped he was a man just like Sawyer. Sawyer says he doesn't believe it, but Nemesis says it's the truth. Nemesis says he knows what it's like to experience human emotions and lose someone he loves. Nemesis says if he wants to shoot him, go ahead, but he's so close it would be a shame to turn back now. Nemesis turns and walks away, and Sawyer lowers his gun.

----------------

Frank, Sun, Ilana and Ben walk along the beach, carrying Locke. Ben asks why they brought it to the statue, and Ilana says they needed to see the face of the enemy. Ben asks what's to keep him from changing his face, and Ilana says he can't anymore. He's stuck this way. They come to a grave site and start digging a grave for Locke. They put Locke into the grave, and Ilana asks if anyone wants to say anything. She asks, didn't any of you know him? Ben steps forward, saying he knew him. He says John Locke was a believer, a man of faith. He says Locke was a much better man than he will ever be. He says he's very sorry he murdered him. Ben walks away, and Frank says it's the weirdest funeral he's ever been to.

Locke wakes up and puts his clothes on. He finds Jack's card and dials the number. A receptionist answers, and he hesitates, then hangs up. Helen asks who it was on the phone, and he says it was no one. She presses him, and he admits he was calling Dr. Shepard. Helen asks when he's going to see him. Locke says he's not going to see him, and reveals that he got fired. A doorbell rings, and Helen goes to answer it.

Locke goes to the living room, hearing Helen sign for his lost luggage. Helen wheels in the suitcase and asks how he got fired. Locke says he lied to Randy, and didn't go to the conference in Sydney. He tells her to open the suitcase. She does and she finds his collection of knives. She asks what they're for, and he tells her they were for his walkabout. He says it was supposed to be an adventure in the outback, but they wouldn't let him go. He says he shouted at them that they couldn't tell him what he can't do, but they were right. He says he's sick of imagining what his life could be out of the chair, because it's not going to happen. If she needs him to see more doctors, he doesn't blame her, but he doesn't want her to spend her life waiting for a miracle because there's no such thing. She tells him there are miracles, and the only thing she was ever waiting for was him. She rips up Jack's business card and kisses him.

Sawyer and Nemesis walk to the edge of a cliff, and Sawyer asks now what. Nemesis says, now they go down. Sawyer asks, down where? Nemesis points to a small cave in the bluff. Sawyer says he already died, so this is no big deal for him, but he's not going. Nemesis says he'll go first. He starts to descend the ladder leading to the cave, and asks if Sawyer is coming. Sawyer reluctantly follows, and almost falls from one of the ladders. The other gives way and he swings from the cliff. Nemesis grabs his hand and they finish going down the ladder together, and enter the cave. A white and black rock sit on a scale on a desk inside. Nemesis removes the white rock, throwing off the balance, and tosses it into the water. Sawyer asks what it was about, and Nemesis says, inside joke. Sawyer asks, is this what he wanted him to see? Nemesis says, no, and lights a torch as he ventures into the cave. He points to the cave and says that's why Sawyer is here. Sawyer shines a light on the writing on the cave, seeing a collection of names, including those of the passengers from Oceanic 815.

----------------

Locke oversees a team running laps. Afterwards, in a classroom, he tells a class to open their books to talk about the human reproductive system. He stops a student to ask where the teacher's lounge is. The student directs him, and he enters, hearing Ben talk about coffee etiquette. Ben introduces himself, as a teacher of European history. Locke introduces himself as a substitute.

Sawyer asks Nemesis who wrote all that. Nemesis says his name was Jacob, and he died yesterday. Sawyer says he doesn't seem upset about it. Nemesis says he's not. Sawyer asks why the names are crossed out. Nemesis says they're not all crossed out. Sawyer finds Shepard, and asks if it's Jack Shepard. Nemesis points out that he's not the only one, and shows him Hurley's entry. He then points out numbered entries for Sayid, Kwon (for Sun or Jin), and Locke. Finally, he shows him Sawyer's entry with the number 15. Sawyer says he never met him, and Nemesis says he did meet Jacob at some point in his life. He says he manipulated him, pulled his strings like a puppet, and choices he made were never really choices at all. He says he was pushing him to the Island. Sawyer asks why he would do that. Nemesis says Sawyer was a candidate. Sawyer asks, a candidate for what? Nemesis says that Jacob thought he was a protector of the Island and Sawyer had been nominated to take over that job. He says he had three choices: Sawyer could do nothing, and his name might get crossed out. He says he could accept the job, become the new Jacob, and protect the Island. Sawyer asks, protect it from what? Nemesis says, nothing, that's the joke, it's just an Island and it would be fine on its own. Nemesis explains that the third choice is that they just go, get the hell off the Island, and never look back. Sawyer asks, how do they do that? Nemesis says, together. He asks if Sawyer is ready to go home. Sawyer says, hell yes.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• What did Nemesis want to ask Richard?
• Who was the child that Nemesis encountered?
• What does Ilana intend to do with Jacob's ashes?
• What is Nemesis "recruiting" for?
• Why could Sawyer see the boy, but Richard couldn't?
• Why (and how) does Nemesis want everyone dead?
• Why did Sawyer follow Nemesis so far, even after Richard's warning?
• Was Nemesis really a human being before, like he claims?
• Why can't Nemesis change his form anymore?
• How do the numbers correspond to the Oceanic survivors?
• What does it mean to take over Jacob's responsibility of protecting the Island?
• Why does Nemesis need Sawyer to get off the Island?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What number was assigned to Jack Shepard in the cave?

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• Still Hung up on Those Eyes (scrambledeggs)
• Now Boarding Ajira Flight 316 passengers 2007 to 1977 and connecting passengers to 2004 (say what??)

Next, on Lost: Lighthouse

We get a glimpse of Kate's connection with Claire and Aaron even beyond the flight of 815, as the men at the Temple take desperate measures to stave off infiltration from the inside.

ABC Preview:

Kate finds herself on the run, while Jack is tasked with something that could endanger a friend's life.

Note: "Lost in the Vines" is made for discussion of the series "Lost" on ABC. As such, here be spoilers!We talk frankly about the events of the night, speculate about future events, and so on. Read no further if you don't want spoilers.

The Big Reveal: Sayid, and Claire before him, has been corrupted by a "darkness" that is destined to claim him.

Summary

The translator (Lennon) walks quickly through the Temple, running to the leader (Dogen). He tells Dogen that Sayid is alive. Meanwhile, Hurley gives Sayid a hug and Jack tells Miles to get some water for him. Sayid says he's feeling light-headed, and then asks what happened to him. Jack tells him that he died. Kate, standing far away, asks how it's possible. Sawyer sarcastically tells her that as a torturer who shoots kids he deserves another go-round. Sawyer tells her about the guards in the Temple, and suggests that he might run.

Kate runs into the cab and holds a gun to make the cabbie leave quickly. Claire asks to stop the cab and Kate shouts at her to be quiet. The cabbie brakes for Artz, and while they're stopped Kate sees Jack on the phone in the distance. Claire tries to run, but Kate stops her and forces the cabbie to keep driving. He stops at a light, then runs out of the cab. Kate takes over the car and starts driving it herself, demanding Claire's purse. Claire asks for her suitcase, but Kate tells her she can't have it and tells her to get out. Claire leaves and Kate keeps driving.

Jin and Jack help Sayid outside. He asks who the people are, and Hurley tells him it's the Others, and they conned them again. He says he thinks they're trying to protect them. Miles jokes that Hurley is the leader now. Jack notices that Sayid's wound has almost completely healed, and Sayid thanks Jack for saving his life.

Dogen comes out and observes, and Lennon asks Sayid to come inside with them. Jack says he's coming too, but Lennon says they need to talk to him alone for a few questions. Jack says they have questions too, like who they are and why they're being held. Dogen speaks again, and Lennon says after they've talked to Sayid they'll tell him all he wants to know. Jack confronts them, and a guard steps forward leading to a fight. Sawyer fires two shots into the air and points his gun at Lennon. Lennon says they won't hurt his friend, and Sawyer says Jack is not his friend, and he's getting out of here. Kate tries to stop him. Dogen says he has to stay, but Sawyer says, no he doesn't. He leaves, telling Kate not to come after him.

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The Temple men carry Sayid away. A guard (Aldo) comes out with a gun and tells everyone to calm down. Lennon asks where Sawyer went, and Jack says he doesn't know. Kate says she can track him and bring him back. Jack asks if she wants to go alone, and Jin volunteers to join her. Lennon says it's important that he get back here safely. Kate says she can be very convincing.

Kate pulls her cab into a lonely auto shop. She points a gun at the mechanic and asks where his tire hammer is. He says it'll cut off her wrist, what she needs is a punch press and she can't use it herself. She asks if he's volunteering, and he says they got off on the wrong foot. Kate offers him 200 dollars.

He removes the cuffs and asks what the cuffs were for. She says she's wanted for murder, but he just laughs it off. She asks for a bathroom to change, and he tells her to make it quick. She opens up Claire's suitcasee, finding a picture of her pregnant belly. She sorts through the baby items and finds a stuffed doll.

Aldo tells Kate that she'd better not slow them down. She counters that they'd better not slow her down. Jack offers to go with her, but she says Sawyer would kill him. She says she'll take care of James, if he takes care of Sayid, and he agrees. Jack tells her to be careful.

Dogen pours some powder on his hand as Sayid is strapped down to a table. He blows it over Sayid's torso, and then attaches some wires to his chest and stomach. Sayid asks what he wants, and Dogen turns a crank and flips a switch. An electronic hum comes from the machine, and then he turns it on. Sayid screams and Dogen stops the machine. Sayid asks why Dogen is doing this. Dogen takes a hot metal poker out of a fire and sticks it on Sayid's chest for a few moments. He gives a command to his men, and Lennon says he's sorry they had to put him through that. He's sorry, he says, it was a test. Sayid asks what the test was for, but Lennon merely says that he passed. After Sayid leaves, he asks Dogen if he just lied to him. Dogen says, yes.

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Kate meets up with Claire and asks where she was going. Claire asks, why, so she can hijack them too? Kate gives her a bag and asks again, where was she going? Claire says don't worry about it, and Kate closes the trunk and starts to leave. Claire reluctantly tells her an address, and Kate asks if she has family there. Claire says, no, it was a family that was going to be adopting her baby. They were supposed to meet at the airport but got mixed up or something. Kate tells her that's not far, and to get in the cab. Claire seems skeptical, but agrees.

Kate asks the guards why they want them to stay at the Temple, and Aldo says they're protecting them from the Smoke Monster. Jin asks if he knows about an Ajira flight, and Aldo asks if it's a press conference. The other guard (Justin) starts to talk about a plane, and Aldo tells him to shut up. Kate says the one they're following is a decoy trail. Justin tells Aldo that he thinks she's right, and they follow her. Aldo asks what her strategy is for bringing Sawyer back, and Justin stops Kate from walking into a trap. Aldo says it looks like one of Rousseau's traps. Justin disagrees, but Aldo tells him to shut up. Kate confronts him, and Aldo yells at Kate for being the one to knock him out years ago. She hits him, knocking him out again, and lets the trap hit Justin. Jin asks what she's doing. She says, escaping.

Sayid stumbles into the main foyer of the Temple again. Hurley catches him and asks if he's alright. Jack enters, and Sayid explains that they tortured him, but didn't ask any questions. Jack walks to the door guards and tells them to step aside.

He walks into the Leader's room and the Translator says they were hoping he'd come on his own. He asks what they did to Sayid, and Lennon says they were testing. He says there's no literal translation, the closest thing would be "infected." Jack says he's not even running a fever, and Dogen laughs. Jack asks if he said something funny, and Lennon says he doesn't really have a sense of humor. Dogen holds out a pill and Lennon says he has to give it to his friend. Jack asks why they don't give it to him. Lennon says it only works if he takes it willingly and he won't take it willingly from them. Jack says they should've given it to him before they tortured him. Lennon says they weren't torturing him, they were diagnosing him. Dogen asks how Sayid got shot. Jack says he was helping him. Dogen says it was his fault, and points out the pattern of people getting hurt helping Jack. He hands Jack the pill and says it's medicine, and he needs it. Jack asks what happens if he doesn't give it to him. Dogen says, the infection will spread.

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Miles asks Sayid about the afterlife, who tells him there was nothing spectacular, and he's not a zombie. Jack asks to talk to Sayid alone, and Hurley and Miles leave them. Jack tells him what they said about diagnosing him, and Jack unwraps the pill. Sayid asks what it is. He says it's medicine, according to them. Sayid asks, what about according to you? Jack says he doesn't know. He says he didn't have anything to do with saving Sayid's life. He didn't fix him, they did. Sayid says he doesn't care who fixed him, he only cares about who he trusts. So if Jack wants him to take the pill, he'll do it.

Jin asks where Kate is going, and she says to catch up with Sawyer. Jin asks if she never intended to go back to the Temple, and she says she's not going to be prisoner. Jin demands to know where the plane is, telling her that Sun was on it. Kate asks if he thinks they're going to tell him or if they care about anyone. Jin asks who she cares about. She says good luck and walks away. He asks what she'll do once she catches up with Sawyer. She says they'll figure that out together.

Claire asks what happened to the handcuffs, and Kate says she cut them off. Claire says it's a beautiful neighborhood and they're probably a nice couple. Kate gives a look, and Claire asks what's wrong. She asks if Kate thinks they didn't come to the airport on purpose. Kate says she didn't say that, and Claire says good. Kate pulls up to the house. Claire asks Kate to come in with her, and says she doesn't want to do it on her own. A woman answers the door, and Claire introduces herself. The woman says she's sorry, that her husband left her. She says she wanted the baby so much, but she can't do it alone. She says she should've called. Claire asks if she just changed her mind. The woman stutters out, and Kate says Claire came all the way from Australia. Claire starts to hunch over and says it's coming.

Kate walks through the DHARMA village with a gun. She hears a noise coming from one of the houses and goes to investigate. She finds Sawyer inside, ripping up floorboards. She secretly watches as he finds a box underneath and dusts it off, starting to cry. She starts to leave, and the creaking of the floorboards alerts Sawyer. He draws his gun and walks out to the hallway, finding Kate. He asks what she's doing here. She says she was worried about him. He walks away.

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Kate pulls up to a hospital and helps Claire out. A nurse asks what's happening and she says she's having contractions. The nurse asks if she's with her, and Kate sees a police car. Still, she says yes.

Claire is treated, and Kate walks out and finds a doctor, Ethan, who introduces himself as Dr. Goodspeed. Kate guides him into the room and he says nature got ahead of her, and asks if she's ready to have the baby. He says if she wants she can have her baby tonight, but if she wants to wait she could have some drugs. He says he doesn't want to stick her with needles if he doesn't have to, so it's up to her. She says she's not ready. He starts to recommend the necessary drugs, then the heart rate monitor goes flat. He asks for an ultrasound as Claire screams that Aaron has to be okay. Ethan gets the ultrasound and shows Aaron was just out of position. He says he gets a feeling Aaron is going to be a handful. He explains that things are okay, as Claire clutches Kate's hand.

Kate approaches Sawyer outside. She says that he asked her why she came back to the Island. She says she needs to find Claire. She says she thought maybe she could catch up with him and have him help her. She wants to bring Claire back to Aaron so it wouldn't be for nothing. She apologizes for following him, and he asks which time. She asks if that was his house with Juliet. He says yes. She says she's sorry for Juliet, and that if she hadn't come after him on the sub they would've left and she wouldn't have died. Sawyer says it's not her fault Juliet died, it was his. Sawyer says she was trying to leave, and he convinced her to stay because he didn't want to be alone. He asks if Kate can understand that. He says some people are meant to be alone. He says he was going to ask her to marry him. He gets up, holding an engagement ring, and throws it into the water. He tells Kate she can probably make it back to the Temple by nightfall. Kate starts to cry.

Jack walks in on Dogen, spinning a baseball. Jack says he speaks good English for someone who needs a translator. Dogen says they both know he doesn't need one. Jack asks why he has one, and Dogen says he has to keep a distance from his followers to make it easier for them when he makes hard decisions. He says he was brought here like everyone else. He tells Jack, he knows exactly why he's here. He asks Jack if he gave Sayid the pill, and Jack says no. Dogen asks why not. Jack says he doesn't know what's in it, and demands that he explains. Dogen says he'll just have to trust him. Jack says he doesn't trust himself, so how is he supposed to trust him? Jack says, let's see where trust gets us. He takes in the pill, and Dogen pounces on him, knocking the pill out of his mouth. Jack asks, now are you going to tell me what's in it? Dogen says, poison.

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Claire looks at the ultrasound photo of Aaron. A woman knocks on the door and asks if Ms. Hart is here, who signed in with her. Kate listens from the other room as Claire says that she left and didn't say where she was going. Kate reenters the room and says thanks. Claire asks what Kate did, and Kate asks if she'd believe her if she said she was innocent. Claire says she would. Kate says that she should go. Claire offers Kate her credit card, and Kate says she doesn't have to do this. Claire says she didn't have to do what she did either. Kate says Aaron is a great name, and Claire says she doesn't know why she said it. Kate says she should keep him. Claire wishes her good luck, and Kate wishes it back.

Kate watches Sawyer walk back into the house while she pours water into her canteen. She gets up to leave.

Dogen gives Jack a cup. Jack asks what it is and Dogen says, tea. Jack takes a sip and asks why they'd want to kill Sayid. Dogen starts to talk, but then switches to speaking in Japanese. Lennon says the closest translation is "claimed." Jack asks, claimed by what? Dogen says there is a darkness growing in him, and once it reaches his heart, Sayid will be gone. Jack asks how he can be sure. Dogen says it happened to Jack's sister.

Jin takes a drink of water, but he's assaulted by the two guards. They hold a gun to him and ask where Kate is. He says he doesn't know and he wants to go back to the Temple. Aldo suggest killing him, and Justin says he can't, he's one of them. Aldo says he might be one of them. Jin runs and gets caught in a trap. Aldo holds a gun to him, but is suddenly shot, along with Justin, by a woman standing on the hill Jin recognizes the woman. It's Claire.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• Did Dogen and Lennon intentionally try to kill Sayid by drowning him?
• How did Sayid's wound heal?
• What was the powder poured over Sayid during his torture?
• How did torturing Sayid the "test" for his claiming?
• What was inside Sawyer's box?
• What exactly does the corruption ("claiming") do?
• What part of the altered timeline made Ethan a kindly L.A. doctor?
• How was Claire "claimed"?
• If Sayid is "claimed," how does that impact Jacob's note that it was necessary to save him?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What kind of stuffed animal did Kate find in Claire's bag? (be specific)

This Week in Original Articles:

Once again those who write original articles this year will be entered (once per week) in this year's contest. Contributing original articles or being the first to answer the trivia questions are the ways to be entered, so feel free to write!

• Darlton Cuselof Raise the Stakes: Clan Murphy's Musings on LOST's "LA X" (Debra Murphy)
• Did 'Lost' introduce a new type of flash? (Michael Sautter)

Next, on Lost: The Substitute