It's sort of a semantics thing, but Smokey isn't inhabiting Locke's body. Locke's dead body is on the beach by the foot. Smokey has "shape shifted"/taken the form of Locke, which he seems to be able to do to any dead body not buried.

Glad to be getting some answers!

Interesting things from last night's episode:

• Edited since original posting: The discrepancy in Claire's ultrasound date (10/22/2004) and the date of flight 815's crash (9/22/2004) was a prop error, so no new or solved mysteries in that regard.
• Remember the psychic who told Claire that she had to be on Flight 815 (and that Aaron shouldn't be raised by another)? His name was Malkin. The lady who was supposed to adopt Aaron (but failed to show up or notify Claire because her husband left her) - her name was Lindsey Baskum. Lindsey Baskum is an anagram for 'Used by Malkin.' :eek:
• Edited since original posting: Sawyer throws Juliette's engagement ring off the dock similarly to how Desmond threw Penny's ring into the River Thames. (My original post was based on a lostpedia entry that indicated that Sawyer's ring and Desmond's ring were one in the same. After looking at screencaps, I'm pretty the rings are different. Nonetheless, it's still interesting that both men tossed the rings into water.)

ETA: I loved Miles' response to Jack's request to be left alone with Sayid: "We'll be in the food court." :D Even though LOST is definitely predominantly drama/sci-fi, I'm glad the writers continue to throw in a humorous line or two during each episode.

And this is why I need to use my weekend time more productively. I was trying to catch up on emails and read for class and sooo didn't see the ultrasound details! From here on out Tuesday nights are 100% devoted to LOST (at least during air time)!

I just watched the last two episode, and it kills me not having my friends here with me to go, "WTF?" I'm so glad people on GC watch Lost!

I don't even know where to start. Claire is alive?? Didn't she wander off into the woods or get kidnapped or something? I'm mad that they only showed her for a second on the island but haven't gone back to her yet.

Why isn't Kate's name on the list of people in the cave? I know Locke didn't point out "Austen" on the ceiling, and I didn't see it.

Weren't there a lot of names on the ceiling, though? Locke simply mentioned the 6 which corresponded with THE numbers. (I now take notes during the episodes so I don't forget anything :)):

4 = Locke
8 = Hurley
15 = Sawyer
16 = Sayid
23 = Jack
42 = Either Sun or Jin (Locke said he wasn't sure)

ETA: Did Kate ever meet Jacob before she came to the island? Because that might have something to do with it.

Although, both Sun and Jin met him at their wedding.

Oh, I don't know. I'm still confused!!! LOL

Yup...she was a kid and getting ready to steal a lunchbox or something and got caught. Jacob bailed her out.

My husband and I have decided the island is basically a big game of chess. Two sides -- one light, one dark, and two kings (Jacob and the Man in Locke). The two kings can't take out each other, so they have to use the other pieces on the board (our Losties) to do it for them. Or something.

I like your theory!

Trivia: Lost was a TV show that was 35 years in the making
 

(slightly off topic, but IMO definately worthy of mention)

The TV show Lost (or its basic premise thereof) was actually supposed to have aired on TV circa 1970, as the continuing story which originated from a made for TV movie that aired on TV in 1969 called (get this)

LOST FLIGHT

The movie starred Lloyd Bridges as the airplane captain, and also featured (among others) a young Billy Dee Williams. The plane was flying from Hawaii from Australia and the captain was forced to fly into a typhoon for an emergency landing because a young boy had developed acute appendicitis and had to be taken to a hospital. The plane lost part of a wing due to lightning from the storm and hand to land on a remote desert island as a last resort in a very "Castaway-ish" plane crash sequence. The boy did get his appendix removed successfully with the help of some handy booze, but then the inter-personal conflicts began setting in, ala Lord of the Flies. I won't reveal the ending, but it is ironic in its own little way.

Anyway, the idea for the TV series was canned before the movie aired, and the movie itself, while replayed on TV in 1970, was relegated to local affiliates' Saturday Afternoon Movie schedules throughout the 1970s.

CBS tried to revive the movie plot in 1976 with a second movie pilot called Stranded, which took the plot several months to a year after the crash, but contained some plot elements that were incredibly similar to Lost.

When Lost finally aired, it actually incorporated (independently, of course) a lot of elements of the previous two pilots with its own plot twists thrown in for heightened drama and tension factor.

So Lost, while a great show, had a great template to work from.

IMO, ABC should find the Lost Flight tape and air it prior to airing the Lost series finale. (ie air Lost Flight at 8 p.m., air the Lost series finale at 10 p.m.). I think people will be very surprised at its similarities, and the fact that the previous Lost pilots were actually very good in its own right.

ETA: Found a clip of Lost Flight on Youtube - unfortunately the dialogue is dubbed in German:

Lost Flight clip

I LIKE THIS! Reminds me of the game of backgammon Locke taught Walt how to play waaay back in season one..

And I'm just throwing this out there... I loved Frank's comment after Ben made his speech while burying Locke:

"This is the weirdest damn funeral I've ever been to."

It went from serious to funny in about 2 seconds. I couldn't help but chuckle :D

LOL yes!! I also loved pretty much everything that Sawyer said while he was drunk off that whiskey..he was cracking me up!

I am lucky I find this thread! I LOVE LOST!!! I think the season premiere was good, but the Kate episode was kinda dull. I love the Locke episode. I am curious to know how the alternate timeline is going to play out...everything is so different (i.e. Helen and Locke are getting married and Locke's father is still in the picture???).

It was quoted a lot on twitter. lol

I'm only in the first 5 minutes of the west coast showing of the show....and I'm already confused....

I really liked last night's episode. Best episode so far this season, IMO.

Once again, a stream-of-consciousness rambling:

• Claire's crazy. Definitely wouldn't want to be anywhere near her while she's holding an axe.
• Hurley was leading Jack (reversal of Jack typically being the leader).
• So, Jacob wanted Jack to destroy the mirrors? Was Hurley supposed to set the wheel to 108 degrees just so Jack would see what was corresponding to his number? Or did Jacob want Jack/Hurley to know what was on 108 degrees?
• "Someone is coming to the island" (per Jacob) - is that Desmond? Widmore?
• Who is David's mother?
• Dogen is off the island, too?!