What will be ironically funny is if, when we get to the end of the series, the entire thing is something that could have fit in a half-hour twilight zone episode from teh 1960's.

Or ironically sad.

Okay, that was an episode to get you thinking, no?
Did anyone else pick up the phrase that Ben said to Locke as they stood before an altar.....something to the effect of....you must use your free will? If that isn't a "demon" asking for a soul, well now.
Either this is a Hurley psychotic dream or they all DID die in the crash.....the island is hell.

The producers have said time and time again that the survivors are not dead. I believe them since that is too easy an explanation.

...Either this is a Hurley psychotic dream or they all DID die in the crash.....the island is hell.

I've said it a million times and I'll say it again, just as Mark said the actual writers of LOST have said....it's not a dream (Hurley's or anyone else's) and they aren't dead. Either one would be shabby writing for these brilliant writers. They won't go that tired, hackneyed, cliched, over done, over wrought and just plain bad route.

Well, most of the impetus for the "we're dead" theory in this episode comes from Locke's father (who thinks they are in Hell).

As far as we know, the rest of the world thinks the jet plane crashed and is lying on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean somewhere. How would anyone know? Do you think they sent little robots scurrying down to survey the damage? Did some mysterious organization just say they found the wreckage? Or do you think someone is preventing the little underwater robots from scurrying around to survey the damage, the wreckage, and the dead bodies?

So now we've also had a mysterious parachutist jump out of a distressed helicopter in the middle in what should have been ocean, and "surprise!" -- there is an island there. And surprise! She also thinks all the passengers are dead! And surprise! The very guy she is looking for is the very one who pulls her down out of the tree!

And they've stretched out that tiny bit of knowledge so that it took us three weeks to learn it.

Oh. And if it is a dream? It sounds like it is Desmond's dream, not Hurley's. Desmond is the one that can see into the future.

Well, most of the impetus for the "we're dead" theory in this episode comes from Locke's father (who thinks they are in Hell).

As far as we know, the rest of the world thinks the jet plane crashed and is lying on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean somewhere. How would anyone know? Do you think they sent little robots scurrying down to survey the damage? Did some mysterious organization just say they found the wreckage? Or do you think someone is preventing the little underwater robots from scurrying around to survey the damage, the wreckage, and the dead bodies?

I'll quote myself from a previous post about this:

In the beginning, many folks suggested that they were all dead and the island was...well, neither heaven nor hell but somewhere else.

I don't think that's so. I suspect that Dharma and/or Penny's ridiculously wealthy father have spun a tale for the world to swallow to keep people from looking for the island.

Or, the authorities who search for downed planes did find parts of the plane but couldn't find survivors because the island is not visible to radar, the naked eye or anyone who isn't already on the island.

Or, the woman, if it is a woman (I'm still holding out for Sanjaya popping up on the island ) who speaks in tongues (Spanish, English, Italian, maybe Russian, maybe something else like Arabic) is a liar. Other than Hurley, who really tells the truth on that island?

Or, who knows? The answer will wind up being something so far out that no one will come close to guessing it, but it will lead to a hundred other questions.

In the end, it will all come down to heuristics, most likely. Some alternative way of looking at things, or Buddha wanting to take over the earth. Meen yarrifu?

We'll just have to keep watching until we learn the answers. We all have our theories....wouldn't it be funny if we're all wrong. One thing is for sure, the writers sure can write a hit!

We'll just have to keep watching until we learn the answers. We all have our theories....wouldn't it be funny if we're all wrong.

I expect to be wrong. I just came up with Heuristics because that is part of DHARMA and I was making a lame joke. Dharma is sort of like Kharma, too -- right?

...wouldn't it be funny if we're all wrong.

I expect to be wrong...

I, too, fully expect to be wrong. I don't think I've guessed anything correctly so far because the writers continually take us to places unimaginable based on what we've seen previously. They will lead us down this twisted trail, and we'll watch voraciously to the very end. I know I've no idea what will come (except it won't be a dream... ).