Welcome Aboard Ajira Airwarys!

First and foremost, my viewing tonight was almost ruined by this fellow:

More on this later.

What an f****** great episode! I have to say, I never expected them to "get back" to the island so quickly this season. I thought it would be dragged out longer, and how they got back was even better than I expected.

We had know about Ajira Airways since the teasers this summer about this "other" airline. How great was Frank Lepidus as the pilot. (And he looked very good, I'm not sure if I would have realized that it was him.) I loved the look on his face when he recognized everyone in first class, and then he said, "We're not going to Guam, are we".

Let me back up:

1. The episode begins with the Losties being introduced to "The Lampost" the Dharma station created to find the island. (Is "The Lampost" a nod to the beloved light seen by the Pensevie children when they arrive in Narnia?)

2. Desmond is all fired up about this idea of going back. Eloise Hawkings tells Desmond, the island isn't done with him either.

3. In a private session with "Ms. Hawkings", as Ben calls her, Jack is told he must bring everyone back or someone to replace as many people. Oh, and he needs something from his dead dad to bring back with Locke. (Since apparently coffin bound Locke will be playing the role of Christian Shepard on this flight.) Luckily, Jack's never before mentioned grandfather has just been nabbed trying to escape from the nursing home, and he might have just the thing that Jack needs.

4. When Jack arrives home, Kate is there. She tells him to never ask about Aaron again and they have one of their dark, painful kisses. (Where did Aaron go? Did Kate give him up willingly? When Claire appeared to her in Aaron's room, she did make Kate promise that she would never bring Aaron back!)

5. Ben calls the next morning to tell Jack they must all meet up at the airport. Ben looks rough. What happened to him? Did he take Aaron and hide him? Did he go after Penny, since he knew that she and Desmond were in L.A., to fulfill his promise to Widmore for killing Alex? Did he break Hurley out of jail?

6. The Scooby gang reunites at the airport- Hurley is there, and he brought a guitar. Hopefully with a lot of batteries for his CDman. (He has bought up all the remaining tickets!) Sayid walks by, escorted by a mystery woman. We need a fake marshall too?

7. I fully expected Locke's letter to say, "Don't get on the plane" or "Don't trust Ben", but it was very true to the character of Locke as a Man of Faith when it said, "I wish that you had believed."

8. Ben is reading "Ulysses", essentially the Latin/Roman version of "Odysseus" discuss amongst yourselves. Wait a second- Isn't Ben supposedly banned from the island forever for turning the wheel? Will he be stuck on the plane with Frank?

9. In the air, things near the island get sketchy- the losties are expecting this- there is a flash like on the island- and poof they are there! But where is Sun, and Sayid? And OMG Jin is in Dharma jumpsuit and driving Roger Workman's van, filled with Dharma beer we hope!

So are they stuck in the 70s? Are they all in the same time period? From the preview it looks like Locke (and the fake marshall) end up on the beach. Next week should be great about "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham"

So good! What did you think?

Oh and the Dusty story. I got to watch tonight with Josie and HAM, and HAM's "spirited" feline was all over the place while we watched, and he ended up behind the tv with one of his jingley balls. He ended up stepping on the power strip and turning everything OFF right as they were taking off! We don't know what we missed in those two minutes. Maybe you can all fill me in!