Lately people have been so fixated on the Dharma Initiative, Hanso, the hatch and the others that the metaphysical properties of the island seemed to have fallen off the map in favor of conspiracy theories.

This episode has brought us back around to seeing clearly that the island changes people. There is more to this than some secretive group playing mind games on the losties. I think that the others are subject to the island just like anyone else; only with much more knowledge of what the island is.

In the thread I started recently regarding comparisons between Locke and the English philosopher John Locke (check it out!) I pointed out that since Locke left nature and entered the hatch he has lost almost all that he gained. Now that he seems disillusioned with the hatch and the button, I will bet that things start to go better for him. He seemed to be able to recall the map better after getting taway from the hatch and disowning the button. Even Ana-Lucia seemed to see him differently when she smiled at him. Quite a change since their exchange last week!

Locke, Rose, Eko and Kate (and who knows how many others) know that things will be better for them if they stay on the island. Call it magick, magnetism, spirituality, voodoo or whatever... The island is why everyone is there and I don't think that anyone is behind the curtain pulling all the strings... Maybe some of them, but not all of them.

GREAT EPISODE!

Cheers!