Last night's LOST was really intense, maybe taking the cake as the darkest episode of the series. Some questions were answered, but of course, new ones were raised.

Last night's episode confirmed some things I'd been thinking about LOST. It was assumed by many, myself included, that the ghosts on the island were working for the Lost-a-ways. But towards the end of season 2 and the beginning of season 3, I began to wonder if the ghosts were actually working against the Lostaways. I definitely got this vibe from Boone's appearance. While last night's episode didn't prove that the ghost's intentions are evil in nature, they certainly made it seem as if that's the direction the show is headed.

But then I remembered that Eko and Locke both saw different spirits on the island. Although we didn't see it, we finally learned what Locke saw so early in season 1. It was assumed that the black smoke monster was the one and only "monster" on the island. Yet last night, they let the audience know that either a) the "monster" can change forms or b) there are separate entities on the island.

I’m actually leaning towards the latter, but the possibility that it’s a shape-shifting monster is certainly intriguing. Up until now, the appearance of the monster(s) and/or ghost(s) has led to either great revelations about the island, or to character deaths. I can’t wait to find out, but on this pace, we won’t know until 2008. All cynicism aside, I believe we’re going to get to know what and why the monster exists, if not by the end of this season, then by the beginning of next year.

Last night’s episode did absolutely NOTHING to dispel the purgatory myth. If anything, it actually strengthened it. I take the producers at their word when they say that the island is not purgatory in the classic sense of the word, yet here we have yet another character that met his demise after coming to a great realization and epiphany about himself. So even if it technically isn’t “purgatory,” the metaphor still works in practice.

I am of course saddened to see Eko go, seeing how he was one of my favorite characters, but I don’t think we’re completely through with Eko yet. He will be back in either ghost form, or in his actual physical form. Don’t forget, this was the man who witnessed a miraculous resurrection of a drowned woman. Locke has new powers. Desmond has new powers. Is Eko’s power the power of life after death? Time will tell.

My only complaint with his death is that it was a tad transparent. As I watched the episode, I thought to myself, okay, either he wanted off the show, or the producers wanted him off. Well it turns out that he asked to be written off the show so that he could work on some acting and directing projects in England.

That’s all good and well, but if there’s one big drawback to television, it’s that actors and actresses sometimes get restless and will leave a show, thusly hurting the progress of an already established show and character arc. So if I have one complaint about his death, it’s that it seemed a little abrupt.

One small cause for concern, at least as of now, is that these two new characters that went with Locke to the Pearl station seem to exist for the sake of catching up new audience members. Their lines last night basically existed to give exposition to anyone attempting to start watching LOST with season 3.

I really liked the introduction of both a new hatch/station and the one-eyed wonder who watches over it. Like all things LOST, his introduction had strong elements of both creepiness and wonder. I can’t wait to find out who he is, and what he’s doing. I hope that the quest to find him doesn’t turn Locke back into his season 2 hatch mode. I don’t think it will. I think Locke is Locke, and there’s no going back to the old ways of season 2. And unlike season 2, I bet that the end of this quest will lead to some pretty substantial answers. If anyone is going to know what’s going on throughout the island, it’s going to be a character with one eye.

I like the set-up with Juliet, Jack, and Ben. I used to not really give a rat’s ass about Jack’s story and cared more about Locke’s quest. Now, it’s almost reversed. I want to know what’s going to happen with these characters, almost more so than the other lostaways.

I like that there’s a schism between Ben and Juliet. It’s one of those little things that both answers a question, but also opens up a new one. As with most of the answers we’ve been getting, we know the what and who, we just don’t know the how or why.

Was Juliet telling the truth in her video? Is Ben really a good guy? I think we’ll know these answers soon. I predict that this surgery is yet another mind game of the Others. In yet another answer that we got last night, Ben revealed to Jack that it was their intention to “break” the spirit of their captives. So is this all a part of that plan, or has the curtain been peeled back? I’m guessing that this is all according to plan.

I’m also guessing that there is a legitimate divide between the Others. I completely buy that Juliet is dissatisfied with living on the island, being a part of the Others, or doesn’t like Ben. Or maybe all of the above.

That video scene was brilliantly written and conceived. If there’s one thing LOST is great at, it’s showing it’s audience scenes and images that are pure genius. I like scenes where the audience gets two pieces of information. Which information do we as audience members believe; what she was saying or what she wrote on the cards in her video? Or we even supposed to believe either one? Meaning, is this all just a part of the Others mind game?

You gotta hand it to LOST, they never cease to amaze me with the images they’re able to get away with. I never thought I’d ever see an image of a “priest” hacking people up in a church. And I never thought I’d see the image of a blood-drenched priest leaving a church, standing before his parishioners. Likewise, I never thought I’d see the complexities of a child forced into confession. Brilliant!!! And the fact that this is on network television makes it all the more amazing to me.

I liked that Eko got a good send off. He finally got his confessional. And as much as I loved the thought of Eko being a priest, I like that he stayed true to himself. “I don’t feel sorry for sparing my brother. I feel proud.” Amen, Eko. That’s who Eko was. A man conflicted about the nature of right and wrong, as well as a man conflicted about his religion. I’m glad he stayed true to his character til the bloody end…if it is indeed the end.

Can’t wait ‘til next week.

matt