The Beginning of the End really made me understand (at least I think so) a little more about what we were seeing in Through the Looking Glass. This is speculation based on what we have seen so feel free to shoot holes in it...I would prefer not to believe something that someone can prove wrong anyway. But I think it's pretty tight!

Allow me to explain a few points...

I think what we have seen in this episode is the very first seed being planted in Jack that they do have to go back. I think that it is pretty clear that the "lawyer from Oceanic" was not who he said he was. Hurley was obviously afraid of this guy. Jack didn't seem to eager to tell the truth about the rest of the Losties being left behind either...and now his complete disfunction in TTLG makes way more sense to me.

We now know that Hurley wants to go back...and Jack comes around to this idea too.

There was also some chatter about John Latham (the man in the coffin in TTLG) not commiting suicide at all and possibly being killed (In the obituary that was posted from the script on this site...there was some loud noises heard by the doorman and when he checked, he found the body...fueling speculation that there was a struggle) After seeing Hurley's visitor, I am convined that whatever happened to the man in the coffin was not suicide but payback for someone opening their mouth...and Jack realized that too...adding to his depression and making him want to take his own life.

I think Jack was more upset with the fact that he knew that the coffin man didn't kill himself, than he was that this man was dead. That would explain why he was at the funeral of a man that was neither friend or family. It was that fact that Jack knew that someone killed this guy for saying something that he shouldn't have.

After watching this new episode, I am more convinced than ever that if the "Oceanic 6" get out of line...there will be trouble. I think that is what drives Jack to fall apart..."he can't stand lying anymore" because if he doesn't continue lying, he will meet the same fate as the man in the coffin. Plus the fact that he knows that he has to go back...after all, he's got work to do.:biggrin:

I think that as we move forward through the next 7 episodes, we will see that there is a group that wants to make sure that the O6 keep their mouths shut.

Sorry for the long winded post but this new epi really answered some questions for me...or at least made some of my thoughts come together about the season 3 finale.

Is the name of the man in the coffin a spoiler or is it considered common knowledge?

We don't know if anyone was left behind or CHOSE to stay behind. From the looks of the season premiere, it appears to me that whoever was on the island chose to remain. Granted, I'm assuming too. It's just my initial impression.

One thing I did get from tonight's episode was that I don't think Jack made a mistake in making the call. It's clear to me that Jack and Hurley and living their lives. Jack is back in medicine, etc. Hurley lost it because he saw Charlie. My point is that they are not walking around feeling guilty, which I have no doubt they would be feeling if they deliberately left their friends behind - especially Jack and Hurley.

In the FF, Jack is happy where he is at the moment and Hurley is starting to question, and we know that eventually, it haunts Jack too. If anything, this episode makes me realize that there is LOTS of stuff we still don't know, and I made assumptions based on the season finale last year that were turned on its ear tonight. I don't see things the same right now.

Is the name of the man in the coffin a spoiler or is it considered common knowledge?

It was clearly visible in the TTLG episode (through a screen cap).

As far as I know, anything on an aired episode is not spoiler. If I'm wrong, would a mod please let me know?

We don't know if anyone was left behind or CHOSE to stay behind. From the looks of the season premiere, it appears to me that whoever was on the island chose to remain. Granted, I'm assuming too. It's just my initial impression.

One thing I did get from tonight's episode was that I don't think Jack made a mistake in making the call. It's clear to me that Jack and Hurley and living their lives. Jack is back in medicine, etc. Hurley lost it because he saw Charlie. My point is that they are not walking around feeling guilty, which I have no doubt they would be feeling if they deliberately left their friends behind - especially Jack and Hurley.

In the FF, Jack is happy where he is at the moment and Hurley is starting to question, and we know that eventually, it haunts Jack too. If anything, this episode makes me realize that there is LOTS of stuff we still don't know, and I made assumptions based on the season finale last year that were turned on its ear tonight. I don't see things the same right now.

I don't think Jack is living his life all that well at this point, though he's obviously still functioning. Starting the day with a screwdriver is not the best idea for a surgeon. Hurley knows that Jack has not come to visit just to be nice, he has an agenda. And Jack has a somewhat fearful and haunted look during their conversation, IMO.

ETA: And if he were perfectly convinced he'd done the right thing, I think he would stay and try to rationally talk Hurley out of his ideas about going back, not run off and leave their game unfinished. That to me is a sign that deep down, he's bothered too but doesn't want to face that fact.

We don't know if anyone was left behind or CHOSE to stay behind. From the looks of the season premiere, it appears to me that whoever was on the island chose to remain. Granted, I'm assuming too. It's just my initial impression.

One thing I did get from tonight's episode was that I don't think Jack made a mistake in making the call. It's clear to me that Jack and Hurley and living their lives. Jack is back in medicine, etc. Hurley lost it because he saw Charlie. My point is that they are not walking around feeling guilty, which I have no doubt they would be feeling if they deliberately left their friends behind - especially Jack and Hurley.

In the FF, Jack is happy where he is at the moment and Hurley is starting to question, and we know that eventually, it haunts Jack too. If anything, this episode makes me realize that there is LOTS of stuff we still don't know, and I made assumptions based on the season finale last year that were turned on its ear tonight. I don't see things the same right now.

I see what you mean but my point is that I think we are seeing the very beginning of where the O6 (or at least Jack and Hurley) start to think about going back.

Add that to the freaky Abaddon character that met Hurley at Santa Rosa and I can now see why they might want to leave reality and go back to where things are a little more safe.

I still can't stop thinking about how our friend in the coffin died. If he was killed...reason #3 why they would want to go back.

I think that this episode was the beginning to last years end...Jack pouring a little more vodka into his screwdriver showed me the begining of his end (drug addiction/alcoholism)
Hurley's beginning to think they should go back (and I guess Jack's too since we know he ends up in agreement with Hurley at a later date)

And the beginning of fearing whoever these people are that want to know if the rest are still alive (I think also contributing to Jack's depression towards the end)
100%
I don't think Jack is living his life all that well at this point, though he's obviously still functioning. Starting the day with a screwdriver is not the best idea for a surgeon. Hurley knows that Jack has not come to visit just to be nice, he has an agenda. And Jack has a somewhat fearful and haunted look during their conversation, IMO.

ETA: And if he were perfectly convinced he'd done the right thing, I think he would stay and try to rationally talk Hurley out of his ideas about going back, not run off and leave their game unfinished. That to me is a sign that deep down, he's bothered too but doesn't want to face that fact.

Agreed. Once again, the beginning of the end for Jack. I wonder if Matthew Abbadon has visited Jack too? That dude freaked me out. (Abaddon is the Hebrew name of a demon too...check out Wiki.) This was a spoiler when I checked it before...didn't know that we would see him so soon.

Hurley saying "never say never dude" to Jack was quite prophetic too. I realize that we don't have all of the answers right now but somehow, I feel like the finale last year is becoming clearer.

We see where the first talk of "going back" comes from (Charlie)
We see the first evidence of Jack's substance problem
We see the first evidence of bad guys back in the real world (Abaddon)
We have our first confirmation of survivors left on the island (they need you)
We see the first fear of someone spilling the beans about survivors (jack asking Hurley if he is going to tell)

We also have confirmation that some if not all of the other Losties are alive. In TTLG there was some question as to the rest of the 815 survivors and Charlie's plea to Hurley confirms that at least some are still alive on the island.