Namaste. Nam-a-what? The one liner’s in tonight’s episode may have been better than the plot itself. After a lonely fortnight, LOST returned with its ninth episode. We have officially reached the second half of the season. Talk about jumping through time, where has the beginning of this year went?

On to more pressing mysteries. This episode filled in the blanks of the immediate aftermath of the crash for those who remain in 2008, and the time following Jin’s discovery of Hurley, Kate, and Jack on the island in 1977. The reunions, while sweet, are extremely short-lived.

There were sprinklings of interesting answers and new questions thrown in to episode that really explored the character interactions and development more than the plot. Much like a classically constructed episode of LOST.

First of all, Sun is on the island with the other plane crash survivors, including pilot Frank Lapidus. The results were unpredictable. I wouldn’t have guessed that one. Sun and Jin’s meeting is now inevitably prolonged.

Another audible misnomer for me was hearing the “numbers” on the radio as the co-pilot was yelling “may day,” “may day.” I wonder why they were again broadcasting? Rousseau had removed the tape from the radio tower. Hmm...

Sawyer, the ever crafty con man, thought quickly on his feet and, for the moment, remains in his role as head of security for the Dharma Initiative. Hurley, Kate, and Jack are initiated into the community as new Dharma recruits, while Sayid is held captive suspected by everyone else as being a “hostile.”

It remains to be seen exactly where loyalties lie and how strong the bonds are between the Oceanic 815 survivors. They’ve all been apart three years and have a successful ruse going.

I can’t see James, Juliet or anyone else letting Sayid actually be harmed. I think that “La Fleur,” Jin, Juliet and Miles’ cover is going to have to be blown. Either that or more time bending.

Speaking of the “LaFleur” group, we viewers did find out from James that Daniel is (as of 1977) no longer apart of their posse. In the season premiere, he was seen in what becomes the Orchid Station. I don’t know what that signifies, because they’re all still in 1977, so he couldn’t have moved the Island or they all would have shifted in time. Perhaps he left for Oxford on the submarine? Probably not, so where could he have gone?

Back at the Dharma barracks, Juliet learns that Amy and Horace have named their baby Ethan. I figured it would be one of the “others.” Though why he went by Ethan Rom and how he became a surgeon still remains unknown. Perhaps they aren’t one in the same, but LOST doesn’t have those kinds of coincidences.

Speaking of coincidences, if Ben met Sayid as a child, which was shown when the boy brought captive Sayid a sandwich, wouldn’t Ben remember that encounter as an adult? I wonder why the sneaky manipulator has never revealed that prior knowledge before.

The episode for me became intriguing in its last ten minutes. Sure, I loved James standing up for himself against Jack, proving that he’s in control and a good leader.

However, the scenes with Sun and Lapidus on the main Island in 2008 were the most fascinating. The barracks definitely looked warn, ever more so than when James and Locke left them in 2005, after the freighter enemies had blown up “half of New Otherton.” Christian’s appearance in that moment was eerie, though Sun and Lapidus didn’t seem too alarmed. Now they know that their compatriots are shifted back to 1977. The “long journey” Christian told Sun she has to take in order to see Jin again is another ample question raised in this episode. What is she in for?

I don’t know, but I’m sure that it’s as wild and unpredictable as the last three and a half years of her life