As season 5 of Lost approaches (who am I kidding, we’re still months away from the season 5 premiere), there are questions to be pondered.  Because TV is a business, and actors sign contracts, not everything about Lost can be kept a secret.  We know, for a fact now, that Henry Ian Cusick will return for season 5 as Desmond Hume.  The last time we saw Desmond he was reunited (finally!) with his true love Penelope Widmore.  The way season 4 ended makes the return of Desmond a mystery.  There is no easy return for the man, no slam dunk opening.  Where, then, will he fit in?  At this point, we can only guess.

This topic may appear to be a tad bit random, considering how many moons we are from our next new Lost episode.  However, the impetus for the discussion came from TV Guide, who have just released a tiny spoiler.  According to Matt Mittovich, a source from the Lost set is saying that Cusick is indeed a cast member on season 5.  There is an important distinction between a recurring guest spot and a regular role.  If Cusick is indeed in the credits as a regular character, that means Desmond will likely be brought back into the fold sooner rather than later.  This could possibly give us some insight into how the season 5 story will go.  

Since all one can do is speculate, I’m going to go to town: Desmond will help the Oceanic 6 return to the island.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense for Desmond to show up in the island’s story line, back with Sawyer and Locke and Juliet.  I’m guessing that he will be brought back into the fold by Jack and Locke, possibly with some help from Sayid.  Desmond and Penny probably retired to somewhere in Europe, which is where Sayid has been executing people for Ben.  

Now, why would Desmond help the Oceanic 6, especially given Ben’s possible desire to kill Penny?  I can’t answer that, but Ben, being the genius that he is, could find a way.  As far as I know, Ben hasn’t told anyone about his intentions for Penny.  Perhaps he can kill two birds with one stone, maybe kidnapping Penny and leveraging that into forcing Desmond to captain the Oceanic 6’s trip back to the island.  

However Desmond returns, I imagine it won’t be on happy terms.  There’s no way he leaves the mainland and Penny if things remain peachy keen in his life.  Penny will have to disappear, or he’ll have to be given some sort of ugly ultimatum.  No matter how Desmond returns to the Lost story, it will almost certainly involve Penny, Charles Widmore and Ben.  

What do you think?  How will Desmond return to Lost

-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
Source: TV Guide
(Image Courtesy of ABC)

Oscar Dahl

Senior Writer, BuddyTV