Perhaps. But what does time travel have to do with black smoke monsters and gh-gh-gh-ghosts?

There seems to be some kind of constant storm surrounding the island like a moat or a bubble. Naomi, Desmond, and the Helicopter pilot all mention a freak storm when they first came to the island and we saw it again tonight. Not to mention the others on the sub telling Juliette that the last stretch of the trip to island way "bumpy".

The time displacement only seems to happen while your in the storm, thus the delay of the rocket payload and the helicopter getting back to the freighter. The island and the real world both seem to be in the same exact time.

The storm would also explain why the island hasn't been discovered. Anyone that saw the storm from the outside, by plane or boat, would go around it or crash if they went through it.

That my friend, no one knows.

We definitely need the writers to tie in time traveling Terminators that create multiple universes here..missed in the whole Desmond hubbub - THE BLACK ROCK DIARIES - man what the hell is in that...probably the secret coordinates or something..

When I saw that Cuse and Lindelof both penned tonight's episode, I knew we were in for a doozy. Excellent episode.

Ok - no one has really been talking about the fact that Whidmore bought the journal that supposedly reveals where the island is.

E.g., that must have been the old ship we saw on the island, the first mate somehow got away, Whidmore buys the journal that was owned by Hanso... And Penny says "I know about the island..."

This is what is intriguing me. What does it mean? Did Whidmore plot this whole thing out to get Desmond out of the picture afterall?

The ship IS called the Black Rock. S1.

Not much to talk about with the journal yet. I'm sure it will factor into it. A better question is how the journal got back, and how Hanso/Dharma would let it be auctioned off like that.

I don't think that Widmore intentionally sent Desmond to the island. I think that destiny and fate play a large role in this series and Desmond was meant to get to the island and it's not a coincidence that Penny and Widmore are in his life.

Aye......just aye.

Here's something interesting......

remember the picture of the Monk and the old woman jeweler that was on the Monks desk in one of Desmonds flashbacks? The background in the picture is of the same school that faraday works at (Queens College)

Of all people to say "Oh, I didnt realize it was practically Christmas" I wouldnt have picked Sayid. I assumed since he was in the Iraqi Army, he would be Muslim. The whole Christmas thing wouldnt occur to him, he would just say "Oh, it's almost 2005".

Just on eof those moments that made me go "wtf?"

Maybe next week will be the Christmas special?

Penny says, "Des, I've been looking for you for 3 years."

Desmond spoke with Penny shortly before starting his year-long boat race then he crashes on the island and spends 3 years pushing the button before turning the failsafe key on 11/27/2004 - fixed. So, she spent those same 3 years looking for him.

This means that freighter/island time and real-world time is in sync. It seems to be 12/24/04 in all places. Even though island time runs slower...and somehow you can make calls from place to place with no prob.

I'm more curious as to why a calender is on the wall of the freighter with days crossed off since the crash. If the freighter was there all this time, why wait 'till only a few days ago to make contact? Did it really take them that long to break through?

I meant the episode was so good, she put on that rap song and did the hoop shooting dance thing....Screw you guys, you know what i was trying to say :P

Fantastic episode!

(But has any episode focusing on Desmond been anything short of awesome?)

Wait, what? I must have missed something, when/how/what is this about it being the same day on the island as the real world?

Widmore bought the journal in 1996.

A pretty good episode but not as great as my favorite ("Live Together, Die Alone"). I hope we get to see more of Kevin Durand (guy from 3:10 to Yuma and Smokin' Aces).

I know. That scene with Penny brought a tear or two to our eyes as well. We better see Desmond and Penny reunite before this thing is over or there will be a backlash.

ABSOLUTELY. FUCKING. AWESOME.

So now faraday isnt a idiot anymore, and is a genius again?

This is the Terminator universe all over again. Its john connor sending back his father, to impregnate his mom heh.

I'd rather have penny as my constant anyday.

Penny def gives me wood.

What a mind fuck. Great episode.

I almost cried in the end scene with Penny and Des too.

And then I went balling.