MIB shows Mother his path to the light, the donkey wheel, she knocks him out

Jacob returns to the caves and Mother asks where he was. He says that she knows and she asks what the Man In Black said to him. Jacob tells her than MIB finally found a way to leave the island. Mother looks terrified.

Mother makes her way across the island to the work site of well. She watches intently as the men and women pack up and leave. She then heads down into the well.

Down there, we see MIB standing over a fire and we he hears something, he turns quickly wielding the dagger. We he sees that it's Mother, he puts it back on his belt. He has her how she is and Mother says that she's worried. He says that she should be and that he spent 30 years covering the entire island looking for the source of the light at the tunnel she took them to as a child, but could never find it. But then he says he figured out that he could get to the light from another place on the island an finding that place took a long time.

Mother worriedly asks if his people saw this too and he says yes and that they have interesting ideas about what to do with it. She starts to say that he has no idea about something but he interrupts her saying that he has no idea because she wouldn't tell him.

MIB then uses a tool to pull a small stone from the wall behind him revealing a beam of bright, yellow light. Mother then notices a large wheel leaning against the wall and asks what it is (it is the infamous wheel that was frozen when both Ben and Locke turned it). MIB says that they are going to cut a larger hole into the wall and attach the wheel to a system they are building. The system will channel the water and light, so when he turns it, he will be able to leave the island.

Mother asks him how he knows this and he says that he knows because he's special. She begs him not to go, but he says he has to because he doesn't belong there. Mother says that this is goodbye then as she steps towards him and embraces him. During the hug, MIB seems content and  tells Mother goodbye. Mother releases him, grasping his face like she did when he was a child. She says "I'm sorry" as she slams him against the wall, knocking him out.

Geez. There's so much here. There is the origin of the frozen donkey wheel and a vague description of how it is intended to function. We learn that the light we saw in the tunnel earlier is the same as is found in pockets across the island. We also learn that MIB seems in tune with the island on an amplified level that he is able to deduct intricate things about's function. We also see that mother is afraid of any humans learning about the light, which we'll see the results of in a later post. Heavy, heavy stuff.

MIB is visited by Jacob, shows him magnetism at a well, tells him people are bad

When we return for Act 4 of the episode, we jump forward 30 years and we see Jacob as an adult at the caves working on a tapestry. Mother sits close by pressing something in a mortar with a pestle. She seems distant as Jacob turns to her and asks her what she thinks of his tapestry. She says that it's nice, and when he asks is she is alright, she says she's just tired.

It then cuts to a work site on another part of the island, where the other people are working on a well including the Man In Black (this is the same well that Locke fell down in season 5 to leave the island that is near the future sight of the Orchid Station). Jacob watches the site from a distance and Man In Black sees him.

Later, after the workers have gone, Jacob and MIB sit nearby playing the same Senet game from their teenage years. As the play, MIB asks Jacob if Mother knows that he visits him, and Jacob says that she never asks about him. MIB bitterly says that he's sorry he asked about her then.

He then asks Jacob why he watches his people and Jacob says that he wants to see if Mother was right about them being bad. MIB says that Mother may be insane, but she was right about the people being bad. Jacob says that they seem fine, but MIB says that's easy to say when you just watch them from a distance. He adds that after 30 years of living among them, he's learned that they are "greedy, manipulative, untrustworthy and selfish."

Jacob asks why he's with them then and MIB says they are means for him to get off of the island and they've found a way. Jacob says that is impossible because there's no way off of the island.

MIB pulls the dagger from his belt (the same one MIB gave Richard and Dogen gave Sayid) and throws it at towards the well. The dagger curves and sticks to side of the well. Jacob goes to the well and pulls the dagger from it. MIB tells him that there are smart men among his people who are curious about how thing work. He says that they have found sites all over the island where metal acts strangely and when they find these sites, they dig. He says at this site, they found something and asks Jacob to come with him.

MIB asks Jacob what he's going to do when Mother dies, and Jacob says she'll never die. MIB says that everything dies. Jacob emotionally says that he doesn't want to leave the island because it is his home. MIB replies "Well, it’s not mine."

Like so many scenes in this episode, this one is quite heavy. We see and hear about the digging of the wells, which Locke told Desmond about before pushing him down one. We see debate start about all men being bad and corruptible versus them having the potential for good (MIB's position versus Jacob's). There's certainly a lot to download and absorb.

It also seems that Mother may know that something bad is coming by the way she's acting at the caves. It's not likely that we'll ever know the full extent of the powers and abilities that the island's protectors have.

Jacob kicks Richard's ass, dunks him in the ocean

Richard makes his way to the beach and sees the what remains of the Taweret statue. There is just the foot left as we've seen in the present, and there are broken pieces in the water and on land right around  the foot. Richard takes out the dagger and approaches the statute. He sees the entrance open, but is suddenly punched by Jacob.

Jacob beats him down and takes the dagger. He asks Richard who gave him the dagger, and Richard asks where Isabella is. When Richard reveals that Isabella is dead, Jacob asks if he met a man dressed in black. Richard confirms that he did and says that he told him that Jacob was the devil and that he needed to kill him to see Isabella again. Jacob tells Richard that it wasn't really Isabella and that he is not dead and the island is not hell.

Jacob grabs Richard and forces him under the water numerous times, repeatedly asking if he still thinks he's dead. Richard finally says that Jacob should stop because he wants to live. Jacob then stops and says that they need to talk.

So Jacob's line of questioning here seems to insinuate that this may be the first time the man in black has tried to kill him. We also see Jacob hostile and angry for the first time. It's a long way from his mellow, somewhat zen persona we've seen in the later years of his life.

Man in black gives RIchard the dagger, wants him to kill 'the devil' (Jacob)

The man in black gives Richard some roasted boar which he quickly gobbles up. He tells Richard that once he's done eating, he should head west and once he reaches the ocean, he'll be able to see the statue that broke into pieces when the Black Rock smashed through it. He says that is where he'll find the devil (Jacob).

The man in black hands Richard a dagger which appears to be the same one Dogen gave Sayid. He then tells him to kill Jacob before he has a chance to speak because he's very persuasive. These are essentially the same instructions Dogen gave Sayid about killing Locke (the man in black).

The man in black tells Richard that he is the black smoke, but that Jacob took Isabella and he couldn't stop him. He tells him that Jacob took his body and his humanity and rebuts all of Richard's objections by asking him if he ever wants to see Isabella again. Richard takes the dagger and the man in black leaves.

So most of what the man in black says seems like lies to get people to do what he wants and that certainly seems to be the case here. He brings up Isabella over and over again. Much like when Ben lied though, I'd imagine there are bits of truth sprinkled throughout the lies.

The smoke monster ravages the temple, Ilana helps some escape

It's sundown at the temple and the signature sounds of the smoke monster start to rumble the jungle outside the temple where two others with guns are standing guard. It uproots a tree and then makes it's way inside where everyone is in panic mode.

Smokey ravages the the temple, killing the others and causing damage. Kate and Miles make a break for it but split up. Kate goes to Claire and Miles heads deeper into the temple.

Miles holds up in a room until Ilana, Frank, Ben and Sun force their way in. Ben goes to find Sayid while the rest look for the secret exit.

Kate goes to Claire at the hole and begs her to come with her, but Claire says they'll be much safer there.  The smoke bursts into the room and flies over the hole as Kate hangs on to the ladder. It doesn't even bother them.

Ben finds Sayid by the spring, holding the bloody dagger he used to kill Lennon. He asks Sayid to come with him because there's still time and Sayid replies "Not for me" and flashes an evil smile. Ben, who is clearly creeped out, slow backs away and makes his way back towards Ilana and the rest.

Sun finds out from Miles that Jin was alive and recently left the temple. Ilana finds the same hieroglyphic that Hurley used to leave the temple and they escape seconds before the smoke monster barrels through the hall.

Sayid kills Dogen & Lennon clearing the way for Smokey

At the temple, many of the others are scrambling to gather their belongings to join Locke before sundown. Lennon tries to tell them that they're all safe as long as they stay at the temple, but even Cindy is not buying it.

Sayid goes inside to the spring, where Dogen is sitting on the steps holding the baseball. Sayid sits the dagger on the ground and Dogen says that Sayid let Locke talk to him (so, it would have actually worked if Locke hadn't spoken before being stabbed?).

Dogen tells Sayid that he was once a successful  business man in Osaka but after drinking to much at a celebration for a promotion, got into a wreck after picking his 12-year-old son up from baseball practice (that was likely his son we saw in the flash-sideways in "Lighthouse"). His son was badly hurt or possibly dead when Jacob approached him at the hospital and offered to heal his son, but in return, Dogen would have to come to the island and never see his son again (sounds a little like Juliet's story, minus the personal contact with Jacob).

Dogen then asks Sayid if he will stay or go and after Sayid seemingly sincerely says that he'll stay, he grabs Dogen and drowns him in the spring. Dogen releases the baseball in the water as he dies. Lennon then comes running in, berating Sayid for what he'd done. Lennon says that Dogen was the only thing keeping "him" (Locke) out. When Lennon is distracted by the warning sound of the smoke monster, Sayid slits his throat with the dagger and his body falls in the spring. Sayid has clearly gone dark.

So how exactly was Dogen the only thing keeping Locke out of the temple? Is he somehow responsible for the ash? If Locke's team really is the evil side, Sayid has very clearly joined it in a very dark way. He seems a bit like Michael in season 2. Sayid is willing to do anything, even murder, to get Nadia back.

Sayid stabs Locke/smokey, Locke offers Sayid what he wants

In the jungle, Sayid stops for a drink of water and hears the signature sounds of the smoke monster. Locke appears behind him and says "Hello Sayid." Sayid quickly shoves the dagger into Locke's chest. There is no blood and Locke is unaffected. Locke pulls the dagger out and offers it back to Sayid.

Locke says that Dogen knew that Sayid wouldn't be able to kill him, so he really sent Sayid out there so Locke would kill him. Locke asks Sayid if he'll deliver a message for him in exchange for the one thing he wants in the world, which Sayid says died in his arms (presumably this is Nadia). Locke says that he could see her again.

So who lied, Dogen or Locke or both? Would Sayid have been able to kill Locke if Sayid hadn't let him speak first? Can and will Locke deliver on his promise to give Sayid what he wants?

Claire delivers a message to Dogen + Dogen asks Sayid to kill Locke

Sayid prepares to leave the temple, when Miles approaches him to find out what's going on. Sayid tells him that he's been banished because he's apparently evil and would be better off dead. Miles tells him that he was dead for about two hours and the others didn't save his life. Someone or something else did.

Then, Claire walks into the temple courtyard with her hands above her head. She walks straight toward Dogen and tells him that "he" (Locke/Smokey) wants to see him. Dogen pretends not to know who she's talking about, then says that he should come in if he wants to see him. She says the Locke wants Dogen to come to him just outside the temple wall. Dogen says that if he goes outside, Locke will kill him and Claire suggests that Dogen send someone that Locke won't kill.

Claire starts to leave, but Dogen commands the others them to stop her. He tells Lennon to put her in the hole for now and asks for Jack and Hurley to be brought to him. Lennon informs him that no one can find them.

Dogen asks Sayid to come back inside because things have changed. In the office, where he pulls a box out from under some flowers. Dogen tells Sayid that Claire is a confused girl under the influence of an angry man who was trapped because of Jacob. He says now that Jacob is dead, Locke/Smokey will not rest until he kills everyone on the island, adding that he is "evil incarnate."

Dogen tells Sayid that the person will appear as someone Sayid knows who has died (which is Locke, but Dogen doesn't know this apparently). He says to plunge the dagger into his chest and if he even allows Locke to speak, it will be too late. Dogen says this is a chance for Sayid to show that there is still some good inside of him.