LOST Challenge - "Follow the Leader"

"We can buy Microsoft stock" ~ Sawyer to Juliet as they are boarding the submarine

Good episode. It sets up next week's finale pretty well. However the time travel business, and events of the past are hard for me to sort out properly. I guess a little mind-bending would be more accurate.

Do you think Faraday's notebook will be able to assist in averting disaster? I think since Jack the bumbling idiot is involved it may not work out. Or at the very least, cause more problems. The timing of the dig with the exploding H-bomb must be perfect, right? That's the impression I got.
How about the underground tunnels? There is a whole civilization buried underneath there. I am so curious about that. It's pretty clear they were Egyptians, but how and why were they there?
Richard Alpert....what is his story? I like the actor and the character, but I would love to know more about him. Did he come to the island with Widmore and Elsie? Or was her there already? We know he leaves the island, I think twice. I guess Richard is the eternal island advisor.

Locke is having the time of his life! I have never seen him so happy. I believe Locke is the new Jacob and must defeat the old Jacob, or at least appear to defeat, in order to convince the others he is the leader and protector of the island. I don't believe Ben will be successful in trying to kill him either. Ben can try, but the island will slap his hand. There is also his broken promise to his daughter he must contend with.

I don't like Locke for lying to Sun. I hope Sun and Jin will somehow be able to reconnect, but it's not looking good so far.

Juliet and Sawyer....my heart just breaks for Juliet every time Kate shows up. What a third wheel! And if looks could kill, Kate would be dead. Juliet and Sawyer are content to just do their own thing. But I think next week, Kate will tell them Jack's plans, and that's why they leave the sub. How, I don't know, but I think Sawyer will do it to save what he has with Juliet. He will always have some feelings for Kate, like his first love, but he loves and wants to be with Juliet. Juliet just can not buy a break.

Jack....who died and left him boss? He just wants his old life back and is willing to screw everyone else to get it. Sayid is willing to erase the past three years, because it may bring his love back to him. Besides, he has nothing else to lose. Kate may end up in jail, but what about the rest of them? Can you really change what happened and bring back dead people? What about the consequences of changing the past? I guess Jack thinks everything will just tidy itself up in a nice clean package with a bow.

Ultimately there will be a final battle, but between who? Jack and Locke....Sawyer and Jack....Ben and Locke...Ben and anyone else....Juliet and Kate. Juliet has to put Kate in her place eventually.

And wait a minute....we never did learn how Dharma got there in the first place. At least I don't remember.

As a side note, I apologize for not participating the past few weeks. I watched all the episodes, just not in a timely fashion.