LOST (In The Garden Of Eden?)

I'm one of those people that loves the show Lost, but I am not one of those people that reads all the blogs out there that really delve deep into the hidden meanings of the show. I do enjoy Jeff Jensen from EW.com's weekly column about the show and I'm told Lostpedia is fairly entertaining, but for the most part I simply watch enthusiastically every week and try to keep up with what the hell is going on.

The new season premiered last night and it was a total head scratcher. I'd imagine the Lost blogosphere is losing their collective minds over it and I have to say my head was spinning when hour two of the two hour premiere came to a close.

From what I gathered on my own and from my discussions with fellow fans, there appears to be a tale of two worlds being told. One where the castaways never crash on the island (and the island has apparently sunk to the bottom of the ocean), but are still being brought together by random circumstances and one where they are still on the island and very much in danger because Jacob, the all-powerful leader of the island and source or controller of its magical powers, has been defeated by his arch rival who has possessed John Locke's body and is also the smoke monster. Phew. Got all that? Me neither. The good news is that Jeff Jensen had the following to say in his EW article:

The good news I have for you today is that Lost exec producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have valuable intel to share with you to help your reading of the show. You can check out our Q&A with them if you haven't already. But the main ideas are these: (1) You are not as confused as you think. The questions you are asking are questions you should be asking. (2) You will get answers to these questions — but patience will be required. (3) The temptation will be to dismiss the sideways story as ''What if...?'' trivia, but we should trust that we're being shown this story for a reason, and so we should take the leap of investing in its reality.

"sideways story"...I like that and it makes it sound more interesting than simple alternate reality. I am very curious to find out who these new characters are that are running the temple. My first guess as to their activities upon capturing the castaways is that they were trying to prepare Sayid's body to be a new vessel for Jacob and it appeared at the end of the show that the mission was accomplished. But this is Lost, so it could simply be that Sayid took a little longer to wake up than expected. Who the heck knows, but maybe we'll find out if/when they reveal the content of the letter they found in the wooden cross. I am curious to find out what the temple guys wanted to talk to Jack in private about so urgently, but my first guess is that it has something to do with his father's ghost that keeps popping up all over the island. And where was Locke/Smoke Monster taking Richard? And what the heck is Richard's deal anyway?

So many questions, but the good news is that they will supposedly all be answered by the end of this season as it is the show's final one. I for one cannot wait for next week to see what answers and new questions we are given.