Dogen knows karate

What on EARTH is Dr. Goodspeed doing in L.A.? In the landing timeline (LTL), the island is completely underwater. The bomb went off and the island sank. It worked. Juliet (sigh) saved everyone. That means Ethan got off the island before the bomb went off. If you remember, Ethan is the son of Amy and Horace Goodspeed. Dr. Chang ordered an evacuation of the island before the incident, a.k.a. bomb, when Ethan was but a wee babe. So, Ethan gets back to America. Then what? If the island sank, and the only purpose of Dharma is to find the island, what is Dr. Goodspeed up to? Looks like Dharma either picked up a new mission after the incident or they are participating in some extracurriculars. I can't wait to see the role that Ethan will get to play in all of this.

Meanwhile, back in the island timeline (ITL). I'm slowing beginning to really appreciate the character of Dogen. He wears that tiny telescope or scroll or whatever it is around his neck and he has kicked Jack's ass twice. I'm starting to wonder if Dogen is a part of the island much like Richard is. "I was brought here like everyone else." Theories hold that Richard was a slave on The Black Rock. Was Dogen brought to the island in much of the same way? Jacob calls everyone to the island with a purpose. Dogen's purpose thus far is to run the Lazarus Pit and to be a defense against Smokey. While he was diagnosing Sayid he sprinkled ash on top of him. All signs point to the "infection" being Smokey related. He was claimed like other dead people have been, ie. Claire.

Claire gets to L.A. ready to deposit a baby in the adoption pool. My question is: did the adoptive father really leave the adoptive mother, or did Dharma step in. Claire is young and innocent and ready to move on with her life, post Aaron. In ITL she is living a life quite the contrary. What happened to Claire? We saw her giggling like a creeper in Jacob's shack and then never again. Did she die? If she died, was she brought back to life by Dogen, only to escape and become Claire the gun toting bad ass? Dogen said she was infected so maybe she was and then left the temple. You crazy, screaming Australian, you're an enigma wrapped in a puzzle.

My last question is, why does Sayid suddenly trust Jack? Before they Oceanic 6 came back to the island, Sayid told Jack it would be very unpleasant if he ever saw him again. Now they're bffs. When did that happen? Sayid was about to swallow poison, 'cause Jack said so. That doesn't sound very unpleasant for Jack. Is Sayid already infected? Does the monster inside of Sayid know what it's gonna take to tear apart that camp? Hopefully tonight's episode answers some of these questions.

Extra tidbit: if you watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you'll recognize Aldo.

Also, I promise to write my next post much sooner.

Thanks for reading. Peace.