My oh my, is it that time of the year already? LOST’s fifth season is starting a month from now, so that means it’s time for the obligatory recap of past events and some predictions about what’s to come.

So where were we?

On the island, hopes were raised as rescue was coming. In typical LOST fashion, however, things didn’t exactly ended as planned, as the following happened: Benjamin Linus crept down a long chasm under some weird station and turned a giant frozen donkey wheel. Then came a white flash, and something disappeared.

So, yes, the island pretty much vanished. Stranded on it are Locke, Juliet, Sawyer, Charlotte and Miles. These five are the only ones of which we can be certain that they are on the island. Daniel Faraday, on the other hand, was traveling back and forth with the zodiac, rescueing losties, so he might be anywhere (even if I am quite certain he will be on the island where we want him). But… where is the island?

In another time and place, however, we move about an hour beyond the point we were left in in the season three finale. Jack returns to the funeral parlor, only to find the coffin, it’s dead inhabitant and an old rival. Off the island are: Jack, Kate, Sun, Hurley, Sayid, Desmond and Ben. Others off the island – but less important: Aaron, Frank and Walt. They all have to return to the island. Will they make it?

But let’s not forget about two other brave men. Michael and Jin! Will they make it? Or are they truly and utterly screwed?

So what is known?

Not an awful lot is known, which I love – I tend to avoid the spoilers. Here’s a little trailer for season five to get in the mood. Notice the fast sequencing of shots on the island as opposed to off the island. Because, you know, those things are that much stranger.

So where are we going?

Just like last year, I am going to write down some questions and predictions. I will formulate them in the good old “will we find out…” template, because that worked so nicely last year. So let’s get rolling!

So will we find out…

1) …how Locke ended up in the coffin? In last year’s prediction, I had almost nailed it by saying that Locke was in the coffin – but unfortunately I ended up changing it to Michael. Locke appearing in the coffin is, forme, the most interesting question to ask going into season five. Just like how Jack evolved into beared Jack: how did John Locke evolve into Jeremy Bentham? Judging by the episode titles known so far, this question should get answered.

2) …where the island ended up? When Locke uttered the words “He wants us to move the island”, I immediately suspected it would be moved in time. Could there be time loops involved? Looking at the trailer, we can see the hatch,
flaming arrows, old guns… this might hint at going back in time. But something inside me knows the answer to this question won’t be as black and white as we suspect. But I think we will get half an answer pretty
early in the season.

3) …whether everybody returns, and how? They all have to go back, but they don’t have to go there together. What if the first half of the season would be about them getting back, and the second half about them getting back together there? That being said: I wonder if the will pack their bags for the occasion? I hope the answer to this question doesn’t take an entire season – that would just be stretching it, I think. Plus: I want Sun and Jin back together!

4) …what’s up with Daniel, Charlotte and Miles? Season four introduced four wonderful characters to the show. One of them, I think, will be out of the picture (at least for a while). The other three, however, will feature prominently in the new season: fans obviously love them all to death and can’t wait to find out more. Is Charlotte a Dharma child (Annie)? Did Daniel travel through time? Is Miles looking for someone (I suspect Halliwax, who might just be his dad)? The answers to these questions should drip through in the entire season.
5) …what Sawyer whispered to Kate? Even if it seemed obvious to me – I think Sawyer asked Kate to take care of Sawyer’s daughter – I might just be entirely wrong. But we’ll see! I don’t know if this will prove important at all though.

6) …if the Losties truly ended up on the island by coincidence? This has been bothering me for quite a while. Why would they all have to go back, if they weren’t all meant to be there in the first place? I don’t think it’s an empty sentence in service of the plot – it has to have something behind it. But I don’t expect an answer to this question until the sixth season.

7) …anything about Rousseau’s expedition? We were promised the Rousseau
flashbacks over and over, time and again. And now Rousseau is dead. If the island went back in time, does that mean we will see Rousseau again and will finally get this plot point cleared up? After all, we only still have Ben’s and Rousseau’s words for it about what truly happened between them… I think we’ll find out in season five.

8) …who Jacob is? Papa Jack is Jacob! Oh wait, he’s not. He’s just someone who can speak on his behalf. Sod it. I have had it with this mysterious Jacob. He better be related to the island, or even better than that: be the island. Something for season six, probably.

9) …why Ben and Charles are fighting over the island? Season four gave us insight about the island power struggle that is obviously going on between Benjamin Linus and Charles Widmore. Is Widmore an ex-Dharma member? As far as I can see, this would be the only explanation that truly makes sense. I hope some extra hints are given.

10) …what the smoke monster is? Hahaha. Seriously? No.

Godspeed! See you soon in the first Season five review!