(This is quite a bit longer than the first part. But once the theories start rolling around… it gets tougher to be brief. 
)
Origin of ” Five Seconds for Fear ” in next scene. It’s so funny how 
Jack acts like he thought of
it in the Pilot episode. It was 
Christian who told him how to handle the pressure. That if younger Shephard could not take Christian’s advice… Dad will just have to step in. No harm, no foul. Gives Jack a ” Hey, Kiddo” out in the hall, trying to take the edge off a tense situation. ( “Kiddo” is Christian’s favorite nickname for Jack, and others) Jack , who said he was initially humiliated by it, eventually relays the story as a much more singular and heroic tale later, to Kate. How big was that fish you caught, Dr. Jack? 
Jack’s apollo bar is stuck . Jacob comes back to “assist” . ” I guess it just needed a little push “(the candy machine/ Jack by Christian?) says Jacob to Jack. It reminds me of the 
Desmond/Jack meeting at the stadium in MOSMOF, Season 2. ” Ya gotta lift it up….Your ankle!” ( another double meaning.)
From five seconds to five minutes…out in the jungle for 
James and Jack. Sawyer ” A man does what he does cuz he wants something for himself. What do you want?” One, Jack wants to fulfill what Locke was saying was his “destiny”. And two, to be with 
Kate. At least, that is what we are to assume from the slight affirmation when Sawyer mentions her name. Jack blurts out the phrase ” I lost her” but he says it’s too late, despite her being by the van. He never actually says it’s Kate. Maybe he is lamenting all the women in his life he lost : Kate, Sarah, Gabriella, 
Juliet, Bai Ling. Perhaps he realized there is nothing for him on the Island, just like there wasn’t anything for him in “real world”. But what the Losties are about to do, and what he has learned through this experience, might afford Jack a second chance.
Sawyer opens up about what happened to his parents… and subsequently, himself. (This is like the pre- raft launch “revelation” he gave to Jack about his own father, Christian. ) James explains that he had the opportunity for a second chance himself. Why didn’t he get on the sub and stop what happened? ” What’s done is done” same advice he was given at his folks funeral. For James, I think the Island was that second chance.
Ironically, they both have the same ” Done is done” outlook but polarizing solutions in what to do next.
Peace summit didn’t go so well. Jack and Sawyer fight….long time coming. Sawyer beating Jack is like Jack beating Ben in the Season 3 finale , ” Through the Looking Glass”. Sawyer is just as frustrated and confused about Jack wanting to blow up Jughead as Jack was over why he shouldn’t call the Freighter for rescue.
Juliet stops Sawyer from beating Jack into a fine powder, saying the doctor is right. That they have to do this. That she’s changed her mind. ( Does that ” It’s a woman’s prerogative” thing really still apply when deciding the fate of an H-bomb?)
Flashback to a tweenish Juliet and her older sister, Rachel, sitting on opposing sides of their parents in their living room. It is supposed to be The 80’s but the clothes and decor look a lot less “dated”. There is a book on the coffee table : “Mysteries of the Ancient Americas”, published by Reader’s Digest Association, 1986.
(Thank you, Scotty6, for the info). Probably some curious hints in that read.
Juliet is very upset that her parents are getting a divorce. Her mother tries to tell her that ” Just because you love someone doesn’t mean they’re supposed to be together.” This does not console young Juliet and she runs off. This phrase is a lot like Kate to Jack on Ajira 316 ” Just because we’re on the same plane doesn’t mean we’re together” . And it is this same reason Juliet gives James that their relationship can’t continue that she got from her parents and their impending split.
KC of the superb blog, ” LOST Tidbits” posted some intriguing screen shots from this scene, pointing out that Juliet’s father’s appearance is strikingly similar to Kate’s father, Wayne (albeit about a dozen years older) KC proposed that perhaps Juliet’s dad might have left Juliet’s mom for Diane Austen soon after this scene. This got me to theorizing. If this is true… then Kate and Juliet are half sisters. And the reason for Juliet “changing her mind” is because she believes that Sawyer doesn’t love her the way he loves Kate, after that glance over her way at Rose and Bernard’s cabana. And pointed out by Heath on our podcast ( The LOST Revisited Now) , Juliet was touching her stomach…possibly signifying that she was pregnant (and maybe that’s what Bernard noticed when he offered Juliet to stay for tea). Who knows? Maybe in this upcoming season, we’ll see a scene, like we saw of the DriveShaft ring, of some Dharma people cleaning out LeFleur’s house…and happening upon a positive pregnancy test ? 
There has been much talk about how the story of Jacob from the Bible relates to LOST. Another aspect of it is that Jacob was in love with a beautiful girl named Rachel. He worked for 7 years for Rachel’s father to be able to marry her. ( Having to work for wife’s father also a part of 
The Kwons 
story) When the 7 years had passed, Jacob was allowed to marry Rachel… but he didn’t end up doing that. Rachel’s father, Laban got Jacob intoxicated prior to the nuptials and was joined in holy matrimony to her older sister, Leah. Jacob was so angry and sad at his new circumstances. He was deceived… but he did a little deceiving himself to his own brother. So, he agreed to work another 7 years to marry Rachel. And Jacob was able to do that…but then, he had to work for another 7 years after that for her father. Jacob, after 21 years was free of his father-in-law, became prosperous and added two new wives to the family. But it was still Rachel that he really loved.
Could what Juliet be feeling is like she is the “Leah” of the story? Sawyer loved Kate, he grew to love Juliet…but that look was all it took. ( And this applied to her relationship with Jack too) This would make Kate ” Rachel”. And if the screen shots are any indication, it’s more than figuratively. And for Juliet to have a sister named Rachel… well, maybe that’s just another clue, pointing to Juliet and Kate’s “connection”.
Is it true? Maybe not. Just a theory…for now.
Another point about Jacob and Juliet… we did not see them together. Is this a clue? Hmmm…
Radzinski and the Dharma crew at the site of the future home of the Swan Hatch. They just found the pocket of energy from drilling. Up walks Dr. Chang in his light colored jacket to reason with a dark jumpsuited Stewart about the dangers of trying to finish what they started at the Swan site. Pierre Chang tries to warn him “If we keep drilling and hit that pocket, all hell is going to break loose.” Remembering what Damon and Carlton said on the Season 2 extras that the hatch represents something along the lines of concentrated evil…. Pierre might be onto more with that statement than even he realizes.
Kate changes her mind too about setting off Jughead… and possibly her relationship with Jack. Her goal was supposed to be to find Claire
and reunite her with her son, Aaron. Jack claims that detonating the H-bomb is the only way that can ever happen. Nothing in his life has felt so right as what they are about to do. Kate is concerned if they go back to pre- Flight 815, Claire might just give Aaron up for adoption. Jack says that they can’t be sure about that… but if Claire did, it would be her choice ( Jacob-like statement) . I wonder if this does actually work the way they think, perhaps Claire will give up Aaron for adoption to that nice couple in LA…and it will be Kate and Jack, only permanently this time?
Hurley is getting out of jail for the murders he did not commit… no matter how hard he tries to stay. This is very reminiscent of Desmond’s release from prison in Season 2’s finale, “Live Together, Die Alone”. Except instead of the dramatic implications of the possession of Desmond’s book ” Our Mutual Friend” by Charles Dickens being the last thing he ever reads before he dies… Hurley is issued back a cherry flavored Fruit Roll Up. ( Just …brilliant! )
Another nod to Des and LTDA, Hurley is met outside of the prison gates by someone. Charles Widmore was waiting for Desmond, with money for a bribe to leave his daughter, Penny. The other a box of Desmond’s letters to her. Hurley is seated in a cab with none other than Jacob. He assures Hugo that he is not crazy, that he himself ( Jacob) is not dead ( is he “alive” in an immortal sense?) and that he is should consider that he is not cursed…but blessed. Jacob touches Hurley before he exits the cab, leaving the guitar case that is wedged between them. ” It’s not my guitar” said Jacob. Does he mean it’s some one else’s guitar? Is it Jacob’s case but it doesn’t contain a guitar? Season 6 will let us know for sure.
Hurley is trying to reassure a dying 
Sayid that he’ll be ok once” Jack changes the future or the past…one of those”. 
Miles isn’t to sure. Jin is convinced Sayid will be fine ( I suspect he will be too somehow.) But Sayid is convinced nothing can save him, despite Jack’s telling him it will. I believe it is pretty clear that Sayid is talking about his soul more than his body. Sayid tells Jack that he rigged it so Jughead would go off on impact.
Back at the four toed statue, 
“Locke” is getting impatient and wants to speak to Jacob. 
Richard tells him that if he’d wait a little longer, he was sure that Jacob would eventually summon John. Well, that’s just not going to cut it.
Sun asks 
Ben if he knew what happened to the statue. He says that it was like that when he got here..but questions Sun about whether she believes him or not…and doesn’t expect her to…lol. ( It just hit me now that maybe he did have something to do with the statue falling apart. His answer ” It was like that when I got here”…almost like a kid trying to skirt blame when they know they were responsible for messing up the house or breaking something.)
Locke wants to bring Ben with him. Richard tries to tell him that this is a breech in protocol. Only the leader can have an audience with Jacob and there can only one leader at a time on the Island. ( Is Ben still considered a “leader” by the Others then?) Locke hands Ben the knife and promises that “things will change once Jacob is gone”. However, just because there is change…doesn’t always mean it’s for the better.
Speaking of the four toed statue, my good friend Donald from the hilarious and insightful ” Donald is LOST” podcast & blog, asked me recently to look at some screen caps of the statue. Were there any differences ? Guess what? There most definitely were. ( I had a feeling that Sayid making the statement about ” hiding in plain sight” would have more meaning. ) In Season Two, the foot was light in color and the base was deteriorating on one side…and the foot is a left foot. In Season Five, the statue was darker in color, the base was more intact…and it is a right foot. What is going on here? Scott, who does the art here for the site, suggested that if there are two sides, why not two statues : One for Jacob and one for his Enemy?
It’s 1977 again and Sawyer has shed the LeFleur alias as Miles points out what the Losties have been omitting from the discussion : That what they are all about to do may actually be The Incident?
Phil’s on his way to the Swan, most likely to kill Jack. The Losties decide to ” Live Together, Die Alone” and will act as the line of defense to make sure Jack carries out what appears to be their “destiny”.
Radzinski is glad to see Phil. Pierre is not. He thinks that they need to evacuate the area. Stewart will have no part in that. Then they get a glimpse of Jack on a mission… and the bullets start to fly between the Losties and Dharma. The Losties somehow get the upper hand, knock of Radzinski and grab Phil. Chang tries to stop the drill but something is pulling it down ( magnetism or fate?) Jack drops the bomb…and…nothing.
But all of a sudden, stuff starts flying around, drawn in by the pull ( much like in the Swan Hatch in LTDA)
Pierre’s arm gets caught, Miles frees him..but not without some severe injury ( Will he still lose the arm later?) Radzinsky awakens and tries to flee with some of his men in a jeep..to no avail…and they run. Phil is about to shot Sawyer…but instead gets shish kabobed by some metal poles.
Juliet is wrapped up in chains and dragged into the hole being drilled for the Swan. Sawyer, with the help of Kate, attempt to save Juliet. Sadly, the pull was too strong and she lets go of James’ hand and plunges to her death…or so we thought. ( Josh Holloway and Elizabeth Mitchell… Would someone please just give them some kind of award. ( IMO) Both are long overdue. )
Back at the beach, 2007, Ilana and the gang make an appearance. She asks “Ricardus” what lies in the shadow of the statue… and he knows! The answer is in Latin. I’ve read ” He who will protect us all” , ” He who serves us all” and ” He who liberates us all” and ” He who will save us all” . Sayid spoke of nothing can save him. Charlie back in Season One said that if there was anyone who could save them all (on the Island) it was John Locke. I heard this theory from a contributor to the fantastic and funny LOST Unlocked podcast with Chris and Brian. After Ilana shows Richard was is in the metal crate… John Locke’s body dumped out on the beach, he is …lying ( laying) in the shadow of the statue. Does it point to John Locke…the real one…still going to “save” them all? Perhaps Jack is right about not giving up on John?
It is then that Sun wonders aloud if that is Locke on the ground…who is that in the statue? Why it’s Jacob’s Enemy…loophole found. Jacob is sitting in a rocking chair like the one from the Cabin ( Christian sat in as well), speaking about how making the “thread” is the hardest part of the tapestry. Thread… Is this pointing back to the string/street time theory that 
Daniel was talking about in Season 5’s first episode, “Because You Left”? “Locke” and Jacob exchange “pleasantries” as Ben slowly approaches. Mr. Linus is distraught at how for 35 years, he did what he was told, sight unseen. Well, what was so wrong with him? Why is Locke, a virtual stranger to the Island, in Ben’s eyes, given the privilege of Jacob’s company ” as if he were Moses!” It is very likely Jacob knew why Ben was there and what he was about to do. But he told him that he had the choice to either listen to “Locke” or not. After Ben’s ” What About Me” speech and a ” What about you” right back from Jacob, Ben chooses death…stabbing Jacob in the heart, with “Locke” finishing the job, kicking his lifeless body into the fire. But not before Jacob informs him ” They’re coming”. Who? The Losties from 1977? Ilana’s team and The Hostiles? Those who are like them that are even scarier, like was spoken of on the way to Jacob’s cabin? And was Ben playing the “Judas” role, spurred on by “Locke” in their earlier conversation about what “Jacob” didn’t do for Mr. Linus, despite his loyal service…fueled by Ben’s resentment of his own biased perception of the way thing should have gone i.e. Ben coming into power?
I alluded to this in the first part of the review. That there were other biblical connections. That scene on the beach , between Jacob and his enemy, is much like the dialog of God and Satan in the first chapter of the book of Job. The devil claims that man is pretty much corrupt and will always do wrong. God offers up Job’s name as an example of a “perfect” or righteous , man. The devil accuses, saying that Job is only faithful because of God’s kindness towards him. If God allowed Satan to ruin all that he has, including his health just short of death, he would curse God. God makes room for the devil to do what he chooses to Job’s life : Poverty, deaths of children, cattle, lose of home, sickness in his body, etc. Long story short, God was correct. Job remained faithful. And in turn, Job got back more than what he lost.
The mention of Moses by Ben also got me to thinking about something else. In the Old Testament, it says that Moses died when he went into the mountains alone at the age of 120. However, no body was ever found. In the New Testament, there is a passage in the book of Jude ( Jude 1:9) that states that the archangel Michael and Satan fought ( or strong petition before God) for control for the body of Moses. It probably was so that Moses’ remains would not become something to be worshiped like an idol for the Israelite people. But I wonder if it was also so the devil could not possess it , making Moses appear resurrected, and deceive the nation, as well? Is this what we are seeing with the “Locke” we met in this episode, a “possession” of John’s identity?
In LOST, it seems like they are borrowing from both of these stories. So, is this symbolic of the battle between God and the Devil? Between the archangel and the fallen angel? Neither? An amalgamation of the two accounts with players that are merely depicted as “dark” and “light”? Are Jacob and his enemy more akin to something found in Egyptology, like Set and Horus ? Roman ( Latin code words) or Greek mythology ( Inscription on the tapestry) ? Is it just some new brand of symbolism, introduced by the writers who’ve been “inspired” by these themes ? None of the above? Season Six… why aren’t you here yet?!
In an April 21, 2009 interview with Variety ( I found linked at Izi’s outstanding blog, “Not Confused, Just LOST” ) this is a quote from Darlton that gives us ” The Short List” on “research materials” to help us in our quest for ” What is going on?!” … i.e. some of their biggest “influences” in writing LOST.
” ( Carlton Cuse) For both Damon and me Stephen King’s “The Stand” was the most influential model for “Lost.” Because “Lost” is not the tenth carbon copy of a medical, legal or cop show there wasn’t a clear roadmap for how to make it work for 100 episodes by looking at other TV shows. So instead we turned to “The Stand,” a 1,000-page novel with a high-concept idea at the core: most of the world’s inhabitants have been killed by a super flu. What we loved about the book was that what sustains the 1,000 pages is not the mythology of the super flu but the stories of the characters. The mystery of what was happening on this island had to be secondary to the mystery of “who are these people?” In terms of creative inspiration we owe a debt to many other sources: the Bible, “Twin Peaks,” “The Prisoner,” the Narnia Chronicles, and of course “Star Wars” and all of its mythological antecedents, Kurt Vonnegut and Flannery O’Connor.”
And last but by no means least, Jack and Kate try to extract a grieving and broken Sawyer away from the hole as more debris flies into it. Surprisingly, Juliet, though bloody and pinned beneath heavy wreckage, she rolls over and sees the unexploded Jughead. With what little strength she has left, picks up a rock to try and set it off ( hitting it 8 times). In what I like to refer to as the ” Jaws” style ending , like Brody shooting at the shark’s mouth to blow up the oxygen tank/ similar phrase spoke by both the Chief and Juliet right before the explosion… the screen fades to white…and the LOST logo inverts.
Did Jughead do what it was supposed to? Are they in 2004 at LAX? Another parallel time line? Did they all just die, with the rest of the story told in flashbacks? Will we come back, Season 6, to a paint covered Desmond?
Whatever the answer ( and I am in tremendous anticipation to find out) … Bravo, LOST! Thank you Team Darlton for another amazing season.
. Thank you all in advance.
Very well made vid , documenting Mr. Alpert’s youthful appearance(s), scored to one of my favorite instrumental songs of all time. 
Vincent
Going all the way back to 1972 with this pop classic , highlighting the hubris of Mr. Benjamin Linus. Dig it! 
Charlotte looked like she came back to life after he touched her. I think Locke might have been harkening back to that day Jacob paid him a visit and thought he had some sort of “power” now too. But alas, it was a bullet proof vest that saved Ms. Lewis and not poor John. 