My thoughts about 1/2 way through the show were....well, looks like this one is going to be another one of those shows that we saw in the past, in that it's not going to move the story forward very much, but rather just give us a bit more detail that we need, but nothing very exciting. We were even talking about it at the commercial break 1/2 way through.
Boy, was I wrong!
So, here's the things I'm thinking
Most importantly...I think we've found out why the "6" need to go back. I think each of them is the constant of someone still on the island. And that would be why those left behind would die, if they didn't come back. If that's the case, does that mean Desmond actually has to come back for the sake of Daniel?
A note about constants --- am I remembering this right --- didn't you have to see your constant in each time period you jumped to? Isn't that what we saw last year with Daniel and Desmond? If so...well, now what? Daniel, John, Sawyer, Juliette, Charlotte, and Miles have already jumped to 1954...I guess the other 6 will have to jump back that far too? Or not? (and who's going to be the constant for folks like Bernard and Rose...and where are those other Losties now, anyway?)
Moving on. I'm assuming Desmond somehow goes to LA. Well, isn't that convenient. Everyone is there now, including the man (Ben) who has threatened the life of Pen. How is she going to be protected, or is she? Will she die and Des also go back to the island to exact revenge on Ben? The list of those who want to kill Ben is potentially growing longer every week. So far, we've got Widmore, Sun...and I hope I'm wrong...Desmond could be joining them.
Oh....a big AWWWW moment was seeing the baby born! (I'm expecting the Burgers to have loved that scene more than any of us...it made me think of them for sure)
And...on the subject of the baby...the second biggest AWWW moment was when we find out the baby has been named after Charlie! What a guy Desmond is!
About John...and why he believes he needs to leave the island...which he has sworn never to leave. Well, first, he's been told he needs to and seems very duty bond. But I'm thinking he keeps seeing bad things happen, like what happened to Charlotte...or maybe seeing what happened to her is plenty of motivation for him, since he already is such a strong believer in the island's powers.
So, they are sitting on an H bomb...that was exciting news.
My husband is thinking that Pen is not really Widmore's daughter, just as Alex was not really Ben's daughter. He thinks Ben is the reason that Widmore ultimately ended up off the island. And he said....Widmore IS AN OTHER!
One more thing...that was wild going to Oxford, seeing the old lab with the picture of Daniel and that woman. And then seeing the woman...Just what happened to her, anyway? I'm sure we're going to see much more of her backstory. And to find out that Daniel was funded by Widmore! Yikes to that one too.
I'm sure there's much more to talk about. Can't wait for the rest of you to post.
It's a class that I have to take, but now I'm going to have to watch this whole season online. I know they put it up fairly quickly, but it just isn't the same. 
This week I will watch it online because my sister is coming to visit me tonight and she doesn't like LOST.
