Waiting almost nine months for the re-birth of Lost wasn't easy, but last night's two hour final season premiere alleviated the anguish of anticipation.

Season six's opening began with a familiar yet altered scene bringing into existence an alternative reality that was created when Juliet detonated the bomb in 1977. However, the castaways don't think Faraday's plan worked, as they have now caught up in their original timeline on the island in 2007.

Good going Darlton! While I think parts of this episode were greater than the sum, creating alternate realities that are affected by the time travel of the season past is an interesting way to move the story forward without copping to choose one over the other.

Rules don't apply to Desmond, nor do they apply to this show.

For now, I love seeing evil win the battle in this apparently epic struggle between light and dark over the island. NotLocke revealed as the smoke monster was an exciting payoff to not only "Dead is Dead" but to seasons of mystery surrounding Jacob's cabin, the reappearance of dead relatives, and the "monsters" way of executing judgment. (I think this calls for a re-watching of Eko's final episode in season 3).

Speaking of the devil (or perhaps not!), Richard looked absolutely terrified when he realized who is inhabiting Locke's body. I don't think the chain reference applies to the Black Rock, though. He has to be much older than that.

As for the Man in Black himself, Christian Shepherd was clearly his earlier attempt at finding a "loophole." NotLocke's way of pulling strings makes Ben's manipulations seem pale in comparison. This does make me scared for Claire's fate. We know she disappeared on the island during the season four finale with whom she thought was her father. Watch your back, girl!

This leads back into the deeper mythology of the show. The temple and the other group of "Others" were revealed in this opener, creating a new cast of characters and more questions. Now that's continuity! Always as many questions as there are answers. Though NotLocke claims that he just wants to get home and for whatever reasons hasn't been able to, I hope this group at the temple which Jacob led Hurley and our time traveling castaways to, is able to stave off this apparently evil force. The ash doesn't seem to keep him out in the long run, i.e. the cabin and Bram.

As sad as it was to see Juliet die, again, at least it plants the seed in James and Mile's minds that there's more than meets the eye. Thankfully, Sayid is still among the living!

While many fans are conjecturing that perhaps his resurrected body is inhabited by Jacob, I don't agree.

The temple's magic waters took their time, but we know this is how they healed Ben after he was shot by, ironically, Sayid. Like Ben so many years ago I don't think Sayid is the same, but he's not Jacob, either. (Damon LIndelof and Carlton Cuse also alluded to as much on Jimmy Kimmel last night) I do, however, fully expect to see him appear to Hurley in upcoming episodes. Though Jacob pinning his hopes for their survival on Sayid does raise more questions, I think it has to have something to do with the fact that Sayid is a serial killing torturer. He may be likable, but the evidence remains. Plus he was whispering about this to Hurley while dying; this has to have some significance. Who is good and who is evil is so convoluted in this show it's hard to see where they are going, but that's the fun of this now six year ride.

For those Losties whose plane did land at LAX, there lives still aren't the same. Charlie knows he should have died, Jack's father's body is missing, and many other details have been altered. This is no more obvious than the opening shots of the Island sunk in the Pacific Ocean. When that H-bomb exploded it didn't just reset the course of flight 815, but perhaps the course of history.

The journey is now is seeing which reality wins.