With Jacob’s death, I thought the Man in Black would have a stronger hold on the Island–or, at least until he finally leaves it. Widmore may have entered the Island, but pylons have nothing compared to Flocke’s sheer, err, Flocke-ness.

So I was a little scared when Hurley decided to bring his entire group to Locke to make peace. Sure, I still don’t know who’s on the good side and who’s on the bad, but the idea of people who just want to resume their lives as “normal” striking a deal with the devil isn’t something that went well with me. All the things Dogen was saying–Sayid and Claire being claimed, the infection–it’s just not what you want to happen to the Oceanic survivors. You want them as lame ducks as Locke wrecks havoc in the world?

As it turns out, Locke doesn’t really have a strong hold on everyone. I guess there’s no reason to be really scared now.

Sayid, that zombie, was tasked to kill Desmond. Nobody knows where he really did the deed or not, but the fact that he allowed himself to be swayed by the man in the well suggests he isn’t as one-track as we thought.

Claire’s also moving around freely. Sure, she’s crazy, with a messy hair-do to boot, but she would’ve killed Kate if she wanted to. Now she’s with her group, hoping that she does get to reunite with Aaron. And the thing she said about Locke being angry? She’s just warning them as an insider, not as a minion.

So I’m not worried that Locke totally claimed Jack, as the final scenes of last night’s episode suggest. I think Jack’s just in it to discover what else the Island has in store for him–he knows very well his post-Island life was just crappy. I also think he’s only with Locke because he hasn’t got a choice.

Yes, I’m suggesting that Locke is now the lame duck in this scenario. The sides have been redrawn, and sooner people will start running around trying to survive, rather than fight for whatever their leaders believe in. Sawyer will implement his plan, and Jack will implement his plan, never mind Widmore fighting Locke, people dying along the way.

Why so? Enter Desmond again. He really does know more, judging from what he’s done in the alternate timeline, and now, to Sayid in the original timeline. His plan–I don’t know what that is, but I’m sure he’s subverting Locke and Widmore by emancipating the Oceanic survivors–is starting to take root, and as the fighting begins, expect the (relative) small fry to see the bigger picture and start aspiring for something else.

Think about it. Sun knowing Locke in the emergency room? Claire knowing the name of her baby before she could even decide on it? Sawyer wondering why he and Kate are being put together? All that will bleed into the original timeline, giving them those cheesy epiphanies, changing them, and making them go, “what the heck, there’s something better for me.” They’re now grounded in the better things that the Island-less world has presented, and there’s nothing that can stop them.

(Image courtesy of ABC)

Henrik Batallones

Staff Writer, BuddyTV