Unravelling Lost

So i just watched this weeks episode of Lost "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" ... here are my thoughts...

Firstly, has anyone noticed just how quickly we get answers now? Looks like the writers have realised just how little time they have left to resolve all those questions they promised will have answers...

Tunisia is the exit... Why? Back in season four we saw Tunisia twice, firstly in the episode "Confirmed Dead" and then again "There's No Place Like Home". In Confirmed Dead Charlotte is at a dig site where they are uncovering a polar bear skeleton bearing a collar with the Dharma symbol. However the only way we have seen to use the Tunisia exit is to turn the wheel below the Orchid, which begs the question how did a polar bear turn the wheel?

The camera that Locke pleads to for help is watching that exact spot, which suggests that no matter where the island is in the world (as Eloise Hawking pointed out in the last episode, it moves.) the exit is always in Tunisia in that exact spot. The camera belongs to Widmore and that was almost guaranteed to be the case. Soon we learn that Widmore knows of the exit because he was forced to use it by Ben, but we still don't know why and I'm guessing we wont find out in this season.

This week sees the return of season four mystery man Matthew Abaddon and quickly we are informed that his job is get people where they are supposed to be. I can't help but think Matthew's quick resolution has something to do with J.J's other series Fringe, but beggars can't be choosers. So Abaddon is responsible for getting Locke on the plane in the first place, mystery solved? It would seem so...

Much of the rest of this episode is devoted to Locke's visits, however we already know the outcome of these. I cant help but feel Lost has been somewhat stalled by the "everyone must return to the island" storyline. We're already a third of the way through the new season and we have yet to really get going. Maybe it would have been better to start the new series with the episode 316 and tell all the other off island stuff in flashbacks, in proper Lost style.

Also, why does everyone have to return to the island? We have been told again and again that everyone on the island is in trouble if they don't, however all evidence points to the contrary. That, in fact, it is those that have left that will suffer misfortune. Jack becomes an addict, Kate loses both the men she loves (Jack and Sawyer), Sayid loses Nadia, Hurley is back in the institution, Micheal lost Walt and tried to kill himself and Locke dies. Also we know that other people have left the island in the past and that didn't endanger everyone, Richard, Ethan and Tom have all been spotted in flashbacks.

Also did Ben forget that he told Locke that he could never return after he used the wheel in the Orchid? It certainly seems to be true for Widmore and Hawking but is Linus an exception?

Walt finally reappears in this episode, still dreaming the future but the question is did he somehow end up on the plane, maybe in the back where we didn't see? Is Walt back on the island? Will they ever explain the mobisode "Room 23" and just how Walt is "special"?

Finally, we reach the death of Jeremy Bentham. Ben rushes to Locke's aid and saves him, only to kill him when he learns that Elosie Hawking is the person who will return them to the island. (Side note: The island wouldn't let Michael die because he was important. If Locke is the most important person to the island, why can he die?) Why did Faraday's mother make Ben turn so quickly? As far as we can tell from 316 Ben has no problem with her. Was he just pumping Locke for information before killing him? Or did Locke telling Ben about Eloise make Ben realise that Locke must die?

Well that's my Two Cents... For a comprehensive episode breakdown and further theories on this and all Lost episodes why not check out Lost Lover at Law.

Got a theory? Think i missed something? Feel free to comment...