First off let me just say that I am pretty content with the whole alt = a type of "afterlife" and Forgive me if this has already been brought up. But one thing I do not understand is what about everybody else in this limbo? Is it a type of afterlife for everybody involved (i.e. Oceanic coffin driver pony tail dude, kates taxi driver, principle reynolds) or soley for the island bond folks. And for that matter is it just the "main players" or everone else too. Will Ethan soon be getting a flash of his time on the island in the middle of delivering a baby and than go to the magic church to move on? Do the freighter folk count? How was keamy abled to be killed? Are we to believe he went to hell. Haha idk.

I'd love to hear you thoughts.

I think those directly affected by the crash of Oceanic 815 (which would include Penny, Desmond, Ben, Charlotte, Miles, Daniel and even Eloise and Charles) were the 'real' characters in the sideways. Everyone else was just created by those characters to fill a role, like the nurse in the hospital, security at the airport, etc.).

what's interesting is... after our losties move on.. this 'reality' will still exist for the others like ben (who decided he wasn't ready) and ana lucia (who desmond said wasn't ready).

I assumed that the other people were waiting for the people who were most important in their lives before they could move on with them, hence Ben hanging back until Alex was ready to move on. I interpreted the alt as something which happens to everyone after they died, rather than just the losties.