LOST - He's Our You

I didn't enjoy this episode as much as the two episodes before it, but the ending made up for that in half a second. Biggest question: What the...?

I thought the past couldn't be changed? Is this the reason the Losties were supposed to come back to the island?...because we sure haven't been given an acceptable reason for that one yet. Maybe by "saving everyone" they are supposed to prevent the Purge and save the Dharma Initiative from genocide. Does this mean "future" Ben has disappeared? I know we'll still see him in flashbacks, so we'll still get healthy doses of Michael Emerson (because he is ah-mazing). However, I'm not totally convinced that Young Ben is dead. People never die the first time on this island (except poor Boone).

Here's a great explanation from my favorite tv blogger and reviewer Alan Sepinwall:

If Faraday is right that the past can't be changed by anyone but Desmond, than Ben's very much alive, and the show doesn't even have to stretch that much to explain it. We have plenty of past evidence (Locke and Christian's resurrections, Michael's failed suicide attempts) that the island has the power to raise the dead and/or prevent the deaths of people it has a use for. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see, early next week, young Ben getting up in amazement, then reveling in the realization that he was "special" and chosen by the island for some great purpose. And if the closed loop then keeps spinning, then the Ben who "meets" Sayid in season two remembers him well as the man who tried to kill him, and when he calls Sayid a killer in Santo Domingo, he's only throwing Sayid's own 30-year-old words back in his face.

Sayid's flashbacks:
I wasn't impressed, and that cop/bounty hunter annoys me for some reason. I did like seeing Sayid's reaction when he saw all the Losties in the airport and realized what was going on. Did his murder victim's family really hire the cop or was it Ben?


Sawyer:
Still loving him and his leadership role. I like his relationship with Juliet, and I think I finally understand so many bloggers' dislike for Kate. She's just not as interesting. I've never been a Skater fan, but now I really don't want those two to get together.

I'm sure there are some nicknames for Sawyer and Juliet, but I have not run across them: Sawyet? Julier?

What we didn't see:
We didn't see Sun or Frank this episode. I'm not totally compelled by their storyline, but I am really curious about why Sun ended up in present time while the rest of them landed in the 70s. And I'm ready to see Locke. He's key.

My biggest questions:

- Is Young Ben really dead?

- Where is Daniel Faraday?

I know this post isn't very thorough, so please leave a comment about what I missed. What did you think of "He's Our You"?

"EMM"