Well we've seen that the candidates are as important to Smokey as they are to Jacob. We don't know how he plans to utilize them, but he did get Sawyer and Sayid on his side. So he needed all of those people to come back.

It's great to see Jack so confident. It reminds me of NotLocke back when we just thought he was Resurrected Locke. He knows he has a purpose now. I think he will be the Candidate.

The Quirk, people can be born on the island. Ethan was born on the island. At some point after the incident is when the pregnancy issues started.

oh good point, Nilknarf. Michael couldn't kill himself until he fulfilled his purpose (which it now turns out was making sure the boat didn't blow until all the candidates were safely off it). So perhaps Richard will finally die when he fulfills his own purpose.

NotLocke's info
Ilana confirmed that the candidates are definitely replacements for Jacob. But does Smokey want his own replacement or was he just lying to Ben about giving him control in order to get him on his side?

Where did you write these 2000 words VanDerWerff?

Team Jacob
The debate has raged on in the past few episodes about whether Jacob or Smokey is the "good guy." Good of course is a very loaded word, but in the sense of having the best intentions for the characters, the island, and the world, I'm fully convinced that Jacob is the good guy.
Just look at the difference in…

The Candidates CAN die. Locke died and he was one of the numbers. Richard is the only one we should assume can't die at this point.
He only said that Jacob's touch gives a person a gift.

Dude! Genius.

Jacob's touch gave them gifts. Richard didn't say that they all got the same gift. His is living forever. We don't know about the other people Jacob touched.

Oh good, I saw the B- and I assumed everybody was gonna be hating on this episode, and I was going to be the lone man thinking it was the best one since the premiere.
Some of the dialogue aside, the actors and the characters they play all had such great moments tonight. Plus, there were a lot of fun mythology clues.
I…

Finally!
A Great Job, internet, that lives up to it's promise. That parody is hilarious. Great Job, Noel Murray!

yep, cause that's what they're all playing on. Do you work at the EA in Redwood Shores also?

Sweet! I just got this game today for $10 cause a lot of my friends work at EA and get super discounts.

Tonight I'm gonna snicker-snack my manxome foe with my vorpal blade. Awww yeah.

Nobody is tuning into Lost on an episode to episode basis at this point. Those who are still with it will watch it to the end. They do not need to convince us to stay tuned for the next episode.

Sun definitely got short-shrifted after being beautifully set up in season 4 to be awesome. Remember how she was all about buying her dad's company to get back at him for hating Jin, and how she was gonna be all badass?
I really hope something awesome happens with her and Jin soon.

I'm greatly enjoying the season, but I do agree with you that the pacing is off because so much stuff is happening.

ABC Preview
Whoever is in charge of marketing the show should be fired. "The man who brought death to so many will face his demise." I sincerely hope they didn't just reveal that Ben is a goner next episode by having the narrator say that.

@flavawheel NYC is pretty great. It was awesome to grow up there, but I'm really loving the Bay Area now. San Francisco is a really phenomenal place, totally unique, and I think, the most beautiful city in the country. The setting is second to none.