That's something that bothers me. If the 2007 Locke is actually dead and the one walking around is the man in black or the smoke monster why go through the trouble of becoming Alex and telling Ben to do what Locke says. Why not just tell Ben (as Alex) that he has to kill Jacob?
....

EVERYTHING THAT RISES MUST CONVERGE, by Flannery O'Connor...that was the book Jacob was reading as Locke fell out the window. I think that's an important title. I think there will be a lot of things and/or people rising on the Island next season.

I'm editing this to add that maybe the book title was just a reference to Locke's rising from what surely would have killed any other man. Of course, Jacob had to touch him to bring the rising about.

Perhaps the Anti-Jacob needs to be in the same room as Jacob with an intermediary doing the killing. Who knows, we shall see. Hopefully all will be made clear next season. YEAH, RIGHT! LOL

I'm confused as to who was in the cabin at what time. Richard knew that Jacob was living in the statue, right? So when Ben was the leader and going to the cabin to talk to Jacob (although "talk" isn't the right word as he never saw anyone or heard anyone as he has admitted), did Richard not know? Did Richard think Ben was going to the statue? Or did Richard think Jacob was meeting Ben at the cabin? Did Richard not speak to Jacob after Ben became the leader and thus didn't know that Jacob had never talked to Ben?

It seems clear that the ash around the cabin was to keep the person inside that perimeter. But was it Jacob or the other man? Did Jacob never live at the cabin? Why did the Shadow of the Statue people go to the cabin? Were they looking for Jacob or the other man? If Jacob, why would they think he was there? Did he live there at one point?

The whole cabin thing has me confused obviously. And it seems odd that Richard didn't know that Ben had never really talked to Jacob.

I'm also reading that this was this first episode to end with a whiteout instead of a blackout. Is that true Maggers? I think that may mean something as well. Besides an h-bomb exploding.

I'm also reading that this was this first episode to end with a whiteout instead of a blackout. Is that true Maggers? I think that may mean something as well. Besides an h-bomb exploding.

Yes, that does seem right. I never thought of that, but each episode does black out.

Also, it's the second finale involving Locke's corpse in a shocking revelation.

For whatever reasons, I was thinking of tsunamis as I was drifting off to sleep, which put me in mind of Phuket, which put me in mind of Jack's tattoo backstory. Don't his tattoos say that he is to be a reluctant leader? So much of the finale and the last season dealt with the leader of the Island and/or the Others. The word "leader" was bandied about so often I'd be rich if I had nickel for each time it was said. Do you suppose with Locke dead, seemingly VERY dead (with his corpse flashed twice in significant ways), Jack could take his place? Jack was sort of the anti-Locke throughout Seasons 1,2,3, and 4. We've seen Jack change so that in Season 5 he has come to represent Locke's point of view. We always thought, and it was said many times, that Locke was meant to lead the Others ,and he did, for a nano second. But now he's dead, and Jack has taken on Locke's philosophy (a perfect touch since the original John Locke was a philosopher). Jack has returned to the Island to face his destiny. Ben told Jack as they were preparing to return to the Island to pack his bag with things important to him because he was never coming back.

I had figured that Jack's tattoos were about his leading the survivors in the first 4 seasons, and he did. But could they mean even more, perhaps that Jack will lead the whole Island in its brave new configuration?

I...Did Richard not speak to Jacob after Ben became the leader and thus didn't know that Jacob had never talked to Ben?...

Richard seems to have always been in touch with Jacob. That's how he passed Jacob's notes and lists to Ben, which told Ben what to do. Richard was aware that he was the go-between for Jacob in communicating with Ben, so Richard knew that Ben had never spoken with Jacob.

It seems clear that the ash around the cabin was to keep the person inside that perimeter. But was it Jacob or the other man? Did Jacob never live at the cabin? Why did the Shadow of the Statue people go to the cabin? Were they looking for Jacob or the other man? If Jacob, why would they think he was there? Did he live there at one point?

My thoughts on the inhabitants of the cabin, just my thoughts:
1. Jacob (white shirt) lived there first.
2. The ring of ash was meant to protect Jacob from the other guy (black shirt or Anti-Jacob or "Locke"). The ash was meant to keep Black Shirt out rather than to keep Jacob in.
3. Somehow the ring of ash was compromised and Black Shirt could get in, which made the cabin unsafe for Jacob.
4. Jacob split to the statue, or maybe lived at both places at different times
5. Ilana and her crew went to the cabin hoping to find Jacob. They didn't but she figured out that the cabin was used by someone else (Black Shirt, most likely).
6. I think Black Shirt was the spirit in the cabin that Locke heard, the spirit that surprised Ben by throwing things around. Ben didn't think anything was in that cabin.
7. I think it was Black Shirt who was in the cabin when Hurley first found it and was so spooked, and I think it was Black Shirt in the form of Christian when Claire was there.

Black shirt vs white shirt, I've heard that before. LOL

It was a finale filled with touching moments. The most touching moment for me was when Bernard offered Juliet a cup of tea. She so wanted it, but had to go....and meet her destiny.

And speaking of destiny....

After Desmond was so close to the Hatch implosion, he was altered and could see the future. How do you suppose the pre-Hatch Big Bang will effect everyone who was so close to it?

I'm still wondering if the pre-hatch explosion is the cause for the hatch being built to contain the release of electromagnetic build up every 108 minutes. Or if Jack and Daniel believing the bomb seals the magnetic breach and changes the outcome of all their lives.

The more I ponder the above, the more I think Richard or Jacob and the Others come to the aid of the Darma folks. The bomb is a mistake. The symbols at the last moments of the time countdown, are the ancient symbols found in the tunnels and temple. Why is that?

My thoughts on the inhabitants of the cabin, just my thoughts:
.
.
.
2. The ring of ash was meant to protect Jacob from the other guy (black shirt or Anti-Jacob or "Locke"). The ash was meant to keep Black Shirt out rather than to keep Jacob in.
3. Somehow the ring of ash was compromised and Black Shirt could get in, which made the cabin unsafe for Jacob.
.
.
.

You make a good point about the ring of ash being there to keep someone out vs keeping someone in. That does seem likely since the ash was intact when Christian was seen (assuming that was man #2 and not some "projection") in various places on the island. But I'm not sure why Jacob would need protection from Black Shirt directly. On the beach, he seemed pretty at ease around him as if he had nothing to worry about. It seemed like Black Shirt couldn't directly kill him and that is what prompted Black Shirt to tell Jacob he would find a loophole. Although he didn't seem to have a problem kicking Jacob into the fire after Ben stabbed Jacob - and Jacob was not yet dead. So something still doesn't quite add up to me.

I agree with all your other thoughts on the cabin. Makes sense.

And speaking of destiny....

After Desmond was so close to the Hatch implosion, he was altered and could see the future. How do you suppose the pre-Hatch Big Bang will effect everyone who was so close to it?

I would think it would definitely affect Juliet. She was basically in the same position Desmond was when he turned the key. Right on top of it. Assuming it works the same way - i.e. a nuke going off at the energy source vs. whatever turning the key did (clearly not just releasing the energy buildup as that was the purpose of entering the numbers into the computer). Maybe in the "original" timeline they had buried the bomb there and hooked up the detonation to the key. So for all we know it's the exact same thing I guess.

I'm still wondering if the pre-hatch explosion is the cause for the hatch being built to contain the release of electromagnetic build up every 108 minutes. Or if Jack and Daniel believing the bomb seals the magnetic breach and changes the outcome of all their lives.

The more I ponder the above, the more I think Richard or Jacob and the Others come to the aid of the Darma folks. The bomb is a mistake. The symbols at the last moments of the time countdown, are the ancient symbols found in the tunnels and temple. Why is that?

Both excellent questions. Wish I had the answers.

I think The Incident we witnessed in the finale is the beginning of the death knell for new births on the Island.

I also think it's marvelously fitting the Radzinsky, who is SO nasty, winds up in The Hatch pushing the button for years and years until he blows his brains out.

I think The Incident we witnessed in the finale is the beginning of the death knell for new births on the Island.

Good idea. I'm thinking you are correct. You usually are.

I also think it's marvelously fitting the Radzinsky, who is SO nasty, winds up in The Hatch pushing the button for years and years until he blows his brains out.

That is another thing I like. Poetic justice for his stubbornness and disregard for what he caused with his drilling.