They've already brought in aliens and gods.

The island is a movable vessel of some sort, right? That's as Sci-Fi as one can get. The characters are reminiscent of several gods and goddesses from various religions and cultures, including (but not limited to) ancient Greece, Egypt, Nordic, Old Testament and even a few nods to J.R.R. Tolkien's middle earth.

What are the few nods to Middle Earth? The big statue perhaps. Unless you're implying Hurley is a super-tall hobbit

I initially thought Jacob was bad, because of the cryptic comment he made about progress and the way he constructs events in the 815ers lives so that they return to the Island. But then... the way he treated Ben confused me. So dismissive, which is painful for Ben, but the enemy of Ben is my friend.

Speaking of which his character's evolution through this episode and the one before is AWESOME. The stuff with his daughter was chilling... and I definately think now that all the dead people walking around again are BlackShirt and maybe Jacob too.

Neither of them are very good, I don't think either could be "god"

Where do we get this notice that "gods" are "good?" Think of Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology - those gods were far from nice, do-gooders. Even the God described in the Bible has an edge. "I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things." - Isaiah 25: 7

What i am wondering is what kind of place is the island exactly? Maybe the island is an island where you'll be judged going to heaven or hell?? ( don't know if this said allready...)

So he is ford prefect's distant cousin......maybe Zaphod's brother...Arthur is not going to like that twist.

In trying to figure out what Lost is "about," I keep going back to when Jacob said that there is only one End and everything else that happens before that is Progress. I don't remember where I read it, but someone posted a theory on the meaning of that statement that the human experience is supposed to be moving toward it's ultimate goal: living in harmony with itself. Until that is accomplished, everything that happens at all is necessary and proper (good or bad) in order to keep moving in that direction.

In thinking about that theory, I wondered about Jacob and Esau in the Bible as it might lend itself to our Jacob and the Man In Black (MIB). Like the biblical characters, Jacob and the MIB are at odds. The MIB feels that Jacob took something from him (like Jacob taking Esau's birthright) and he is in a situation where Jacob has the upper hand (or the power). Like Esau, the MIB really wants to be able to shift the power to his advantage by whatever means he can. It is a long process for Jacob and Esau in the Bible. Jacob was afraid of the one day that Esau would come after him and possibly kill him for tricking him out of his birthright. What ultimately happened was the Esau forgave Jacob, but not before Jacob's redemption where he was forced to reckon with what he had done. This is why I think it was necessary for our Jacob to be tossed into the fire to be redeemed somehow. I don't think he's dead. I think that forces will join so that Progress can continue toward humanity's goal.

I know there are TONS of holes in this theory and I wouldn't presume to be the one who can answer all the questions, but hey....it's always fun to TRY....

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"What if you were blessed?" ~Jacob