Locke gathers Sayid, Claire & Kate from the ravaged temple

After the smoke monster wrecks the temple and kills the others who remained behind, Sayid, Claire and Kate make their way through the mess. Bodies are scattered through the courtyard and there are a few small fires. During the scene the slow motion scene, a creepy, symphonic version of "Catch a Falling Star" is playing, with Claire singing the haunting vocal over it.

Sayid and Claire both look pleased with themselves as they walk outside the temple to face Locke and a large group of defected others. Kate comes out and sees Locke and is stunned. Locke just cocks his head at her, then turns and leads his group away.

Jin and Sawyer are not currently with the group, so where are they hiding out at (it's possible that they're on Hydra island, since we later learn that's where Locke is heading)? Is Kate now a de-facto part of Locke's team now?

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 tells the others they have until sundown to leave

Sayid makes it back to the temple and walks right past Dogen to give the others Locke/Smokey's message. He tells them that Jacob is dead and they don't have to stay at the temple anymore, they're free. He says the man is leaving the island forever and if they want to go with him, they should leave the temple and join him and they have until sundown to decide. Cindy, who is holding Zach and Emma, asks what happens if they stay. Sayid says "You die." Dogen looks concerned, but remains silent.

Hurley tells Dogen Jacob is dead, temple goes into lockdown + Zach & Emma

Back at the temple, we see Zach and Emma, the tail section kids, for the first time since the season 3 episode "The Brig." They come to bring food and water to the survivors at Cindy's behest. Behind them, an unconscious Sawyer is dragged into the room with Miles pushed in behind him. Miles says that they were jumped in the jungle and Saywer took out four others/natives before he was knocked out with a rock.

Hurley is summoned to Dogen's office/greenhouse for a talk. Dogen, thru Lennon, asks what Jacob told him and asks when Jacob is coming to the temple. Hurley tells them that Jacob is dead, causing Dogen to look panicked and angry.

An alarm is sounded and Dogen orders the others/natives to their posts and to prepare the ash around the walls. He says "Defense to the east wall!" and "Ten men to north side!" Some others/natives set up a platform and shoot off a rocket flare.

They seem to be incredibly panicked about what is likely coming to the temple. Have they had to prepare for this before or is this the first battle they've faced?

The water in temple spring is brown, Sayid dies after dunking

Dogen leads the surviors through the temple where we can see a few natives/others working the the grounds. They are then led to the interior where the spring is located. Hieroglyphics are visible on the pillars of the room.

As they enter, Lennon notes that the water isn't clear and asks what happened. Dogen says that he doesn't know and proceeds to the steps of the spring, cuts his hand with a knife and submerges it in the water for a few seconds. He pulls it out and it hasn't healed. He then tells them that there will be risks if they heal Sayid and Jack, continuing his new trust fate kick, immediately agrees that they should proceed.

A few of the men remove Sayid's coveralls and proceed to carry him into the spring. They submerge him once Dogen has started an hourglass which appears to be filled with a mix of dark and light sand. Sayid starts kicking fairly quickly but they keep him down until the hourglass runs out and he is no longer moving. Sayid is in a Christ-like pose as he is carried from the spring and then Dogen confirms that he is dead.

Jack then briefly tries to resuscitate Sayid (which is similar to when he saved Charlie after he was hung  by Ethan), but gives up at Kate's insistence.

So was the water not clear because Jacob is dead? What exactly is the spring and how does it work? Presumably, this is where Richard brought Ben after Sayid shot him.

The temple is revealed + meet Dogen & Lennon + Cindy returns

As the survivors are brought out from the pathway under the temple wall, we finally get our first look at the temple itself. It's a large, tiered structure shaped somewhat like a pyramid.

The "temple master" Dogen, his translator Lennon and Cindy Chandler, the flight attendant from Oceanic 815 emerge from the temple. This is the first time we've seen her on the island since the season 3 episode "The Brig" (check out screens here).

Dogen speaks Japanese, and asks the survivors who they are and Cindy steps up and identifies them as being on Oceanic 815. Dogen says to shoot them and Hurley pipes up and says that Jacob sent them and tells them that Jacob gave him the guitar case. Dogen opens it to reveal a wooden Ankh, a symbol the complete four toed statue of Taweret was holding (see screens here). Dogen bows to it and the breaks it in half, then pulling a list from the hollow chamber. He asks them all there names and then tells them to bring Sayid inside to the spring. Lennon says that the paper said that if Sayid dies, then they are all in trouble.

How many other names were on the paper, which appears to be blank in one shot?

The losties make their way under the temple wall, taken by the natives/others

Hurley, Kate, Jack, Jin and Sayid (on a stretcher) make their way to the temple wall where they head through the same hole that Ben and Locke go through in season 5.

The first thing they find is the remains of Montand and Hurley is concerned about his missing arm which Jin explains. He was carrying a pack with the book Fear and Trembling by Søren Kierkegaard. They come across the hole where Ben fell and saw the smoke monster (check out screens here, here, here & here).

Kate being Kate, crosses first and wanders ahead, causing Jack to chase after her. Jack hears the Hurley and Jin taken by the natives/others and then he himself is knocked out by them and dragged to the exit. The best part is when you see one guy scurry behind Jack before they catch him. Check out the screens below.

Stay peeled for our first glorious view of the temple itself in an upcoming post.

John Locke's dead body is in the crate, Richard reveals 'What lies in the shadow of the statue'

At the remains of the four-toed statue, Richard offers Sun some water and she asks him if he has any alcohol. Richard says "No, but I sure wish I did."

At that moment, Ilana, Bram, Frank and the others come walking towards the statue with the crate. The others all pull weapons on them and Ilana tells them it's okay and puts her gun down. Ilana then asks "Which one of you is Ricardos?" Richard steps forward and says "It's Richard actually."

Ilana asks him the big question, "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" Richard answers in Latin "Ille qui nos omnes servabit" which translates to "He who will protect/save us all." Ilana and Bram look incredibly happy to hear the right answer.

Ilana tells Richard she has something he needs to see and tells her people to open up the crate. The others steady their guns again, but Richcard tells them it's okay. The crate is flipped over and it is revealed that the body of John Locke is inside. Richard asks where they found him and Ilana says that Locke was in the cargo hold of the plane in a coffin.

Sun then asks the million dollar question. She says "I don't understand. If this is Locke... who's in there?" Ilana and Richard both looked very, very panicked.

So in this scene we come to learn why Locke has not seemed very Locke-like since his faux ressurection? The question is, who is using Locke's form? There is also still a big question mark over Ilana. Who is she and how does she know Richard as Ricardos?

It's worth noting that this is the second season finale in a row where Locke's dead boby has been revealed inside a box. I don't think we'll be seeing it in the series finale though.

Richard bregrudgingly takes Locke and Ben to Jacob's home

At the remains of the four-toed statue of Tawret, Locke (or actually fake Locke) stands staring at the foot. Richard comes over and tries one more time to convince Locke not go to do Jacob. He says that Jacob would eventually come to him. Locke says "I'm tire of waiting" and asks where Jacob is. Richard turns and starts heading towards the statue.

Nearby, Sun asks Ben what happened to the rest of the statue. Ben says he doesn't know and says that it was like that when he got here. Sun asks "Do you expect me to believe that?" Ben replies in a defeated tone, "Not really."

Locke then tells Ben "Let's go" and they head up the rocks towards the statue. Richard stops when he sees Ben and asks him "What are you doing?" Ben says "Locke wants me to join him." Richard says that he can't come and tells Locke that only the leader can request an audience with Jacob and there can only be one leader on the island at a time. Locke says "I'm beginning to think you just make these rules up as you go along, Richard. Ben is coming in with me, and if that's a problem, I'm sure Jacob and I can work it out."

Richard begrudgingly proceeds to the base of statue and pushes in a section of the stone that is the door. He turns and says "Tell him I say hello" and then walks away. Locke pushes the stone further in so they can enter the chamber. There is a short hallway with a light the end where there is an entrance to a room.

Ben stares down the hallway almost like he's in a trance. Locke asks him if he will be able to kill Jacob. He says " I know it won't be easy, but things will change once he's gone. I promise." Locke holds out the knife for Ben and after a moment, Ben takes it and they head for the light.

Richard's objections to Locke going to see Jacob and then that Ben is coming to seems to be a part of some long-standing rules, though all it took was Locke saying screw the rules to get around them. Why does the leader have so much authority that Richard's objections and concerns really mean nothing? He took matters in his own hands in 1977 when he knocked out Eloise.