We have seen what happens when new characters take too much of the center stage away from characters we've invested three years watching. You get Nikki and Paulo, who were so universally despised when the focus was shifted to them that they were sent to an early (and I mean real early) grave. All I'm saying is that with a handful of shows remaining, we have a lot of regular characters in situations that demand to be exploited for the rest of this season.

To RU, I'm sorry for the personal response to your personal criticism. If I may, I'd like to make amends. Alas, I have to disagree with you on another point entirely. For all that the Others could have done the Losties, they've yet to kill any of the newcomers despite having the edge in lay of the land, weapons, surprise and certainly conditions on the beach during the first couple of days after the crash.

I think they're as frightened of the survivors than survivors have been of them and shown this by screaming a lot but doing little more than harass Sayid, Hurley, Jack, Sawyer, Kate, Michael, Vincent and who knows others they had dead to rights and let go. I think Locke hit it on the head, that they have lost their ties to the island in favor of flower gardens, etc., know it, and ultimately want help.

As for Ben's scheming, that's all the leadership most of them have known -- and all Ben knows in the way of leadership. And as for Juliet, give the actress he Emmy. You never get a clue where she's at from one moment to the next, and when she stares into the camera, it's a total blank.