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Wanted, dead or alive: Ben
Jack learned that all those long nights sweating through medical school made him one very qualified prisoner. Turns out Other leader Ben possesses one nasty spinal tumor, and that’s what landed acclaimed spinal surgeon Jack on the Others’ guest list.

Once a potentially life-saving operation was booked, Juliet suggested Jack drop the life-saving part. Despite that worthy goal, it’s premature to suspect she’s switching teams. She could just be imagining a chorus of Others chanting, “the king is dead; long live the queen.”

Torn between his ethics and the opportunity for a Ben-less future, Jack devised a plan. He intentionally clipped a kidney, with a promise to mend Ben if Kate was freed. Hmm, was he saving her from the Others? Nah, after Jack got an eyeful of Kate going at it with bad boy Sawyer, he was just saving her for himself. Jealousy:1; altruism:0.

As for Ben, don’t go shedding any tears for him just yet. It’s too soon to kill off a character this gripping, and there’s still too much to learn about his beef with Juliet. Also in his favor: Jack Shephard is no Jack Bauer. He makes a good threat, but the doctor’s Hippocratic oath remains intact.

The non-Other others: Back to the beach
Enjoying a considerably better post-hatch-blast experience than Eko, Desmond displayed hints of psychic powers after his electromagnetic dose, not to mention a strange compulsion to construct a lightning rod. Odds are that rod’s not just about a pretty light show. Perhaps recharging the power source for the now defunct Swan Station is in the cards.

Never-before-seen survivors Nikki and Paulo joined Locke’s rescue party to find their wayward friends. At the Pearl Station, Nikki switched on the monitors and caught a glimpse of a man sporting an eye patch. Everyone knows that eye patches are TV shorthand for bad guys, but that’s not necessarily the case this time. He’s likely the owner of the glass eye Libby found last season. Remember, the eye accompanied a bible, a two-way radio, and a portion of the training film.

Where to now?
Mysterious plot points must lead somewhere, right? Okay, that’s not always true in Lostland, but surely the forecast includes some answers.

Consider it a sure bet that explanations are forthcoming concerning Ben’s fate, which side Juliet playing for, and what that lightning rod is all about. Rumors even abound that Locke's mysterious paralysis could be explained, but we'll believe that when we see it.

But while revelations may abound, fans shouldn’t hold their breath for the big ones. Expect the smoke monster to remain a foggy mystery. The inexplicable purpose of the island will stay inexplicable for now. Fans may be clamoring for some answers, but with new episodes running from now until May, they'd better not bet the rent on getting them any time soon.

Ree Hines is a writer in Tampa

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