I've been thinking about this some more, but after watching the finale I still feel like Hurley could have been very useful to getting Jack on board. Not only were the Others watching them at the Swan, they had Ethan at the beach from the beginning, even though we don't see him until the ninth hour.

You couldn't have said it any better. I just finished reading all the books again, and I can still relate to 99% of the stuff in the strip. I noticed a lot more strips about how things change without one realizing it, and also some of the complaints about society that remain the same today.

First off: I haven't read Return to Xanadu, but I've been meaning to check it out. Maybe I can start it this weekend after I watch the Season 2 finale.

You make a great connection as well, as Eko and Malkin are both pretending, and both do react very strongly to what they hear and see. I was also really disappointed to see Eko depart, there's just something about the character that really clicked. I definitely think he would have played a strong part in the end…

Three Minutes: Michael's story is a complicated one. When we first meet him, he comes across as a really decent guy. He struggles to do right by Walt, but we see that he wanted to be a good father, and in the present, he just doesn't know how. But like everyone on the Oceanic flight, Michael's gotten that second…

?: I know I usually post this on Wednesdays, but with today being 8/15/16, it felt like a good time to go ahead with the next reviews. ;-)

Yeah, those are very gloomy scenarios, but also probably very accurate. While Lost could be very dark at times, there was always some light at the end of the tunnel.

Kate did tell Jack about what she found. It was in the previous episode while she and Jack were in the jungle to try to propose a trade. I mentioned in the original review above, although it's easy to miss. :-)

I don't know how one could put an image of Smokey destroying trees like that out of their head. I'd be constantly wondering if it's nearby. As soon as Michael proposed the raft, I'd be gathering bamboo before he hit the beach. But I'm also approaching it from a realistic standpoint. The Island, especially under…

Your last line makes the most sense to me. I don't think Jack is overconfident about taking down the Others, just angry and looking to avenge the previous loss of life. The group has looked to him to lead all along, so if anything happens, even if it's not his fault, Jack puts the blame on himself.

Thought you might like to see this, I found it on Twitter while looking up stuff relating to Daniel Dae Kim since yesterday was his birthday. Interesting note re: birthdays among the cast, Locke said in Season 1 that having birthdays close together was good luck. In July, Matthew Fox's birthday was the 14th, Terry…

Thanks for pointing out the Rose/Bernard conversation from the transcript. I meant to say that Bernard was unaware that Rose had been cured when they crashed on the Island.

No need to apologize, I was just teasing. I don't need the credit for coming up with the Christian/Jacob observation, just happy to be contributing something to the Lost fandom. If it gets discussion going, even better. :-)

That's something random I've been thinking about, just for fun. We know Hurley is the most popular of the castaways, but who would be next?

So you're saying the Swan is like anti-Island, since we both like the thought that the Island "heals" people? I can definitely see that, especially with Locke. He spends all of Season 2 basically claiming the hatch as his own, culminating with breaking the computer in the finale. I've thought of him much like a…

Two for the Road: The first topic that comes to mind when discussing this episode is of course, Michael shooting Ana Lucia, Libby, and then himself. It's still one of the most shocking moments in the show, and a great reason why it needed to be watched live when it aired.

S.O.S.: Ah, Rose and Bernard. The simplest couple on the show from the beginning. The plane crashes, and they just want to find each other. Rose keeps her faith that Bernard will be alive, and she is rewarded (by the Island, perhaps?) when he does return with the Tailies.

Libby seems like a very likable person, and competent as you noted. It seems like Michael should have introduced her and Bernard to the group when they arrived back at camp, so that he could vouch for her character. Because you're right, it doesn't seem like she has much of a place there until Hurley's helping her…

Thanks, and I'm glad you're still reading as well, it helps a lot to have some feedback and gives me some good info for future reviews.

Dave: We've discussed Hurley a lot since I started these reviews, and it's been very insightful to hear what you've had to say about him. I was reading the Classic review the other day and I think this time, I'd like to use some of your notes (hopefully you won't mind)…