Quite honestly, I'm not even sure where to start. If they ever decide to make a DVD set of definitive LOST episodes, this is definitely going to be on there. Wow! I'm not sure I share Anya's remark that it's the best LOST episode ever, but I certainly have to rank it very highly in my list of "best LOST episodes.

So much happened in last night's episode, that it's almost too difficult for me to try and recap all of the highlights, but let's jump into it headfirst.

One of the things I really dig about season 3 is that they've really taken the Others creepiness to a whole new level. Since season 1 set the tone of "the Others" so well, I was a little worried that we'd suffer a bit of a letdown when we learned more about the Others, but I have to say that I am pretty impressed with all that we've learned and continue to learn about the Others. True, we're almost through with season 3 of LOST and we still really don't know *that* much about the Others, but I like the tightrope the producers have been walking between showing us too much and keeping us interested. I have a feeling that before season 3 is over, we're going to learn a heckuva lot more about the Others and their purpose on the island.

The writings of the Others, Ben and Juliet especially, have not disappointed. I don't know about you, but I get a serious Ben = the man behind the curtain vibe, and am starting to wonder/doubt whether Jacob actually exists. Anya and I discussed last night's episode as we fell asleep and she wondered whether or not Jacob is an actual person or whether Jacob is something else entirely. What he could be, I have absolutely no idea.

I think there could be a possibility that Ben is actually Jacob and that no one is really in on the secret except for a few key people. Realistically speaking, I tend to feel that Jacob is a real person, especially since many people seem to quiver at the mere mention of him. All I know for sure is that after all the build-up, Jacob better deliver. I bet Jacob's reveal is going to be one of the more mind-bending moments of the entire series. I have my own theories...

I won't reveal the big Jacob theory I have, but another side theory I have is that the island doesn't necessarily have psychic powers associated with it, but that Jacob is the entity that's creating the psychic powers of the island. I think we're going to find out a little more about Jacob this year, but I think we'll learn a lot more about him in season 4.

I like how last night's episode returned a little of the "lord of the flies" vibe that season 1 toyed around with. It was also kind of cool seeing Saywer and Sayid team up on their mission to figure Juliet out.

I don't completely buy that Sayid and Sawyer would go all soft with what Juliet said to them, but I think this is something that's going to be explained further in later episodes. Yeah, I think if anything, Juliet calling them out on their hypocrisy would send them further over the edge and would make them even more determined to figure out why and how the Others know all that they know. But as I said, I expect this to be explained further.

The above scene made me a bit nervous that Sayid won't be one of the people who survive until the series concludes. As Juliet hinted at, he has some past life experiences that the island may demand retribution for.

Last night's episode really threw a lot of answers and questions for a loop for me. For one, I don't completely buy Jack's gullibility with all that’s going on. I think he knows more than he’s telling, he actually knows of Juliet’s deception and is playing his own game, may be a turncoat as well (though the end of last night’s episode threw this out the window…kinda), or he could have been brainwashed in one of those messed up brainwashing rooms. Time will tell, but I think we’re going to find out soon.

My current theory is that the Others are trying drive a wedge between the Losties. From the looks of what's ahead with Sawyer holding a knife to Locke's throat, Desmond and Charlie being in some kind of altercation, Jin getting in a fight with someone, etc, I think that we may end up looking back on season 3 as the "Empire Strikes Back" season of Lost. I don't expect a happy ending to this season, folks.

Juliet has become quite the complicated character. Earlier in the year, she tried to convince Jack to let Ben die during surgery, but then last night’s episode revealed that she’s capable of lying through her teeth to achieve a goal, so who knows what’s real with her and what’s not. I don’t completely buy that she’s completely on Ben’s side, no matter what the final scene revealed. I think that she may be playing Ben more than she’s playing the Losties. Of course, the maddening thing about LOST is that even if it turns out that Juliet is against Ben, Ben may actually be aware of her intentions all along.

I like that they introduced a bit of a Faustian pact into Lost with Juliet choosing at one point to stay on the island to work on her research. I also like that she tried to get off the island but had her request refused by Ben. Again, Ben’s absolute refusal to let Juliet leave raised the Others creep factor twofold.

Speaking of Ben's refusal to let Juliet leave the island, it preceded my favorite moment of the episode with Juliet basically going crazy. I thought the scene of her playing "Downtown" while they did a montage of all that was going on what quite brilliantly directed.

Some other great moments:

- I liked how they intercut some season 1 scenes into last night's episode. I think that's how they should proceed with all of the big reveals that show has in store.

- Jack's return to the beach. I thought it was one of the more emotional moments of the series and helped hit home that this is the first time Jack's seen some of these people since late in season 2.

- Kate and Sawyer's reunion.

- The submarine scene. I thought it was kind of creepy that Juliet had to be drugged to make the trip to the island. WTF?

- Sayid asking Juliet the who/what/when/where/how of the Others. LOST sometimes defies logic by having characters not ask these questions more often, so it was nice to see them finally asked. I hate that he didn't really get many of his questions answered, but the episode did reveal a couple of things so I'm not complaining.

If I have one complaint with last night’s episode, it’s that the final scene threw the entire episode for a bit of a loop. Is everything that she told the Losties about Ethan completely full of shit? I’m going to have to re-watch the episode to know for sure, but I tend to think that everything in her flashbacks really happened, while some of the stuff she told the Losties may have been a bit of a cover.

Last night’s episode felt a bit like a set-up for the final five episodes of the season. The trailer for the “final five episodes” seemed to hint at this as well. Buckle up, folks, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

my two cents for this Thursday