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

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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.

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While Locke devises a new strategy, Jack's group searches for Desmond.

The Big Reveal: Jack has become the new Protector; Zoe, Widmore, and possibly Richard have been killed; Ben has switched alliances to Nemesis; Nemesis plans to use Desmond to destroy the Island; in the sideways, Desmond continues to orchestrate his plan to bring the Losties together.

Summary

Jack wakes in his room, and finds blood on his neck. He wipes at it, and his son says good morning and that he made breakfast. Jack jokes that opening cereal isn't making breakfast. Daniel asks if he's coming to the concert, and Jack asks if his mother is coming too. Daniel says yes, but warns him not to "get weird." Claire enters and says good morning. Jack asks how she's doing, and she says the baby kicks like crazy at night.

Jack gets a phone call, and a representative from Oceanic Airlines says they found the missing cargo. They say it will arrive in L.A. by the end of the day. On the other line, the Oceanic representative is actually Desmond, who apologizes for it taking so long.

Jack tends to Kate, stitching her wound. He says if he doesn't do this it will get infected. Kate tells him that Sun and Jin had a little girl. She tells Jack that Jin hadn't met her yet. She angrily says that "Locke" did this to them. She says they have to kill him. Jack says, he knows.

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

Sawyer watches as life vests from the sub wash up on the beach. Kate leans on his shoulder and Hurley watches, then they're joined by Jack. He says they need to go. He tells them about Desmond in the well, and points out that if Nemesis wants him dead they're going to need him.

Desmond watches John Locke in his wheelchair as he's greeted by a student. Desmond starts up his car, and Ben stops him. He shouts that he's making a citizen's arrest, but Desmond punches him. Ben says he won't let him hurt Mr. Locke again. Desmond says he's not here to hurt him. Ben asks who he is, and Desmond punches him repeatedly. Ben has a flash of being punched by Desmond on the Island.

Ben, Miles, and Richard walk through the jungle. Miles asks if this is a shortcut, and Ben says he lived here for a long time. Richard asks how much explosive they have access to. Ben says it's enough to blow up the plane, and that he hid the C4 in his secret room behind the bookcase. When they arrive at the village, Miles hears something. He starts to explain, and Richard tells Ben that it's his daughter. He says that after he left, Richard buried her by the fence. Ben thanks Richard, and walks away.

Ben enters his house and opens the bookcase. Miles sees symbols on the wall and asks what it is. Ben says that's where he was told he could summon the monster, before he realized it was summoning him. He opens a vault and shows them the C4. He asks if they want enough to disable the plane or blow it up entirely. Richard says they should blow it to hell, and Ben says they need to take it all. As they gather it, they hear a noise, and go out to draw their guns on Zoe. She tells them to calm down. Widmore enters, saying she's with him. He greets Ben.

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

Ben asks Widmore what he's doing here, who tells him to put the gun down. He tells Zoe to sink the sub. Ben says she's not going anywhere, but Widmore says he's not going to do anything. Zoe leaves, and he asks Ben what they're doing. Richard explains about the explosives, and Widmore says that he already planted explosives on the plane. As usual, he says, he's three steps ahead. Ben asks why he came back, and Widmore says Jacob summoned him. Ben calls it a lie and says he's never even met Jacob. Widmore says Jacob visited him after the freighter explosion. He says he told him everything he needed to know for this exact purpose. Ben asks, what purpose? Widmore is interrupted by Zoe, pointing out Nemesis coming. Widmore tells her to get back here quickly, and tells Ben they need to hide.

The nurse tends to Ben's wounds, and leaves to get an ice pack. Locke enters and asks if he's alright. Ben says he got into a fight with the man who ran him down. He says he approached him and he just attacked him. He says while he was beating him, he saw something. Locke calls the police, but Ben says he may not want to do that. He says the man told him he was just trying to get Locke to let go. He asks if that means anything to him.

On the other end of the line, the officer hangs up the phone. Desmond enters and says he'd like to see a detective, please.

Miles puts on a tie, saying he's going to a benefit concert. He asks if Sawyer wants to come. Sawyer asks if Charlotte will be there, and passes when he says yes. Desmond enters, telling the detectives about the hit and run and today's beating. He confesses to committing both crimes. He's led into a jail cell with Sayid. He greets him, and then Kate.

Jack asks if Sawyer has any idea where the well is. Sawyer says it's about an hour from camp. Sawyer asks why Nemesis didn't just kill Desmond. Jack says it may be one of his "rules." Sawyer asks about the rules, the one that they couldn't kill them. Jack says he's been wrong before. Sawyer asks if he killed Sun, Jin, and Sayid. Jack says no, Nemesis killed them.

Hurley and Kate follow close behind, and Hurley sees young Jacob. Kate keeps walking, and Jacob tells him to give him the ashes from Ilana. Hurley asks why, and Jacob says they're his. Hurley asks what he wants them for, but Jacob takes them and runs. Hurley chases after him, and finds adult Jacob. Hurley says he's been waiting for him to show up, where has he been? Jacob says he's here now. Hurley asks if he saw the little kid with the ashes. Jacob says the ashes are in the fire, and once they burn out he'll never see him again. Hurley says he should get his friends, because they're very close to the end.

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

Nemesis exits his canoe. Zoe runs in, telling Widmore to go. Widmore starts to guide them into the hidden room. Miles suggests they run through the jungle. Ben asks for Widmore's walkie-talkies. He hands one to Miles. Widmore says that Nemesis is going to kill him, and Ben says he supposes that makes this goodbye. Richard also suggests talking with him. Richard says all he wants is for him to join, so if he can get him to leave it might give the rest of them a chance.

Richard walks out, surveying the territory, and the Smoke Monster throws him across a field. Ben takes a seat on the porch, and Nemesis approaches. He says Ben is just the man he was looking for. Ben jokes that he should get a glass of lemonade. Nemesis says he needs Ben to kill some people for him. Ben asks why he would do that. Nemesis says once he leaves this Island, he can have it all to himself. Ben agrees, and Nemesis asks whose outrigger it is on the dock. Ben says it's Widmore's, and Nemesis asks where he could be found. Ben says, he's hiding in the closet.

Alex asks what happened, and Ben says he found someone with a temper. Alex asks who would ever want to hurt him. Ben says he just confused him with someone else. Alex suggests he get a ride with her mom. She chides him into it, and Alex introduces Ben to Danielle. She invites him over to dinner. Danielle says she insists, even if she has to kidnap him.

Ben helps clean up after dinner. Danielle thanks him for coming. Ben asks where her father is, and she says Alex died when she was two. She says that's probably why Alex is so attached to him. She tells Ben he's the closest thing to a father she's ever had. Ben looks at Alex and starts to cry. Danielle asks if he's alright. He says it must be the onions, and they share a moment.

Ben points out the bookcase and says they're inside. He warns him that she's armed. Nemesis says to wait out here, since he doesn't need to see this. Ben tells him that he wants to see it. Nemesis enters, and says what a pleasant surprise. He asks her name, and Zoe tells her name. Charles tells her not to talk to him, and Nemesis slits her throat. Widmore asks why he did that. Nemesis says he told her not to talk to him, and that made her useless. He says it's clear Widmore isn't afraid to die, so there's only one way to motivate him. He says soon this will be over, he'll get what he wants, and leave this Island.

He says when he leaves the first thing he's going to do is kill his daughter Penny. Widmore says he'll kill her no matter what. Nemesis says no he won't, he'll keep his word. Widmore reluctantly tells him he brought Desmond here due to his resistance to electromagnetism. He says Desmond was a last resort. Widmore says he's not saying any more in front of Ben. Nemesis suggests he whisper instead. Widmore starts to, but Ben shoots him. He says that Widmore doesn't get to save his daughter. Nemesis says he never ceases to amaze him. Ben asks if there are other people to kill.

Hurley leads the others to Jacob, who greets them all one by one. Hurley starts to tell him what he said, and Jack says he heard him. Hurley asks if Kate and Sawyer can hear him too, and Sawyer nods. Kate asks if he's the one who wrote their names on the wall. She asks if he wrote Sun and Sayid and Jin's names on the wall too. He says yes. Kate asks if that's why they're dead. Jacob apologizes, but Kate presses, asking to know why they died. She says she wants to know they didn't die for nothing. Jacob tells them to come sit down, and he'll tell them what they died for. He says he'll tell them why he chose them, and why he chose them. He says he'll tell them about protecting the Island because when the fire burns out, one of them is going to have to start doing it.

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

Jack works in his office, and Locke enters. They greet each other and Locke asks about the picture of his family. Jack talks about his son, and asks what he can do for Mr. Locke. Locke says that they were on the same plane from Sydney, he gave him his card, and he threw it away. He says he got hit by a car, and from all the doctors in L.A. he got him. He says Jack still wanted to fix him, and he still didn't want to be fixed. Then, he says, the man who ran him down showed up again and beat up a teacher.

He says he was there to help him let go. He says that's the exact thing Jack said to them the last time they were together. Jack asks if it's an accusation, and Locke says no. He suggests maybe all this is happening for a reason. He says maybe Locke is supposed to fix him. Jack says he's confusing coincidence for fate. Locke says he can call it whatever he wants, but he's here, and he's ready to get out of this chair.

Jacob laments not knowing where to start, and Hurley says how about why he brought them to the Island. Jacob says he brought them there because he made a mistake, and because of that mistake there's a very good chance that everyone they care about will die. Sawyer asks, what mistake. Jacob explains that they call him the monster, but he's responsible for making him that way. He says ever since then, Nemesis has been trying to kill him. He says it was only a matter of time before he figured out how, and when he did, someone would have to replace him.

Sawyer asks why he has to be punished for his mistake. He says he was doing fine before. Jacob says no he wasn't, none of them were. He says he didn't pluck any of them out of a happy existence. He says they were all flawed, and he chose them because they were like him. He says they were all looking for something they couldn't find out there. He says they needed this place as much as it needed them. Kate asks why he crossed off her name. He says it was because she became a mother. He says it was just a line of chalk in a cave, the job is still hers if she wants it.

Jack asks what the job is. Jacob explains that there's a light at the center of the Island, and their job is to make sure it never goes out. Sawyer says the monster told them there was nothing to protect it from. Jacob tells him they have to protect it from the monster. He says they have to do what he wasn't able to do. Jack asks, he wants them to kill him? He asks if it's even possible. Jacob says he hopes so, because he's certainly going to try to kill them. Hurley asks how he's going to pick. Jacob says he's not going to pick, he wants them to have a choice. Kate asks what if none of them choose to do it? Jacob says then this will go badly. Jack volunteers, saying this is what he's supposed to do. Jacob asks him if it's a question. Jack says, no. Jacob tells him good, then it's time.

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

Jacob takes Jack away. Sawyer jokes that Jack has a god complex. Hurley says he's just glad it's not him. Jacob asks if Jack remembers the bamboo field he woke up in, and tells him that beyond that and a ridge is the heart of the Island. It's where Nemesis wants to go, and what he has to protect. Jack says there's nothing there. Jacob says yes there is, and now he'll be able to get there. He asks Jack for a cup, fills it with water from a stream, and tells him to drink it. Jack asks how long he's going to have to do this job. Jacob says, as long as he can. Jack drinks from the cup. Jacob tells Jack that now he's like him.

Sawyer enters the lockup to send the prisoners off to county. Kate says he could still let her go. Sawyer asks why he'd do that, and she says because he believed her when she said she was innocent. He says he's a cop, and she says he doesn't seem like a cop to him. He leaves.

In the van, Desmond says he think it's time to leave. Kate asks what he's talking about, and Sayid calls him crazy. Kate asks about the "crazy" remark, and Desmond explains that he ran over a guy in a wheelchair. Desmond says, alright, he's crazy, but do they want to get out of here or not? Kate asks if he's just going to tell the driver to stop. Desmond says the driver knows where to stop, but they're going to have to trust him and do as he asks. Sayid and Kate jokingly agree, but then the van stops.

Ana Lucia opens the door, asking which one Hume is. She asks where the friend with the money is, and Desmond says he'll be here. She unlocks his cuffs. Desmond sees a van pulling up and says here he comes. Hurley gets out, and says he didn't know Ana Lucia would be here. She asks what he means, and he stammers out that they never met. He gives her the money, and she leaves. He asks Desmond if she's not coming, and Desmond says she's not ready yet. Hurley says he brought a car and gives instructions. Desmond says Kate is with him and Sayid is with Hurley. Kate asks what he means by that. Desmond gets out a dress and tells her that they're going to a concert.

Ben asks Nemesis why he bothers walking if he can turn to smoke. Nemesis says he likes the feeling of the ground under his feet, to remind him that he was human. He sees the well. Ben asks if he's thirsty. Nemesis says this is the well he threw Desmond Hume into. He says he sent Sayid to kill Desmond but he obviously didn't. Ben sees the rope and says it looks like someone helped him out. Nemesis says no, someone helped him out. Ben asks what Widmore told him. Nemesis says Desmond was a fail safe just in case Nemesis killed all the candidates. Ben asks why he'd be so happy about that. Nemesis says he's going to find Desmond, who will help him do the one thing he never could: destroy the Island.

Cut to LOST

The Big Questions:

• Why did knowing not to talk to Nemesis make Zoe "pointless"?
• How is Desmond a fail-safe for the candidates?
• Why can Jack now locate the Island's heart, when he couldn't before?
• What is Desmond's plan for gathering the (sideways) Losties?
• How does Nemesis plan to use Desmond to destroy the Island?

Lost in the Vines Trivia Question:

What was the box of cereal that David opened to "make breakfast" for Jack and Claire?

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. This was the last week to write original articles, so thanks to all who have entered!

• Smokey Musings (Debra Murphy)

Next, on Lost: The End