I loved the Alex/Linus interactions...he is destined to be a father figure to the half-orphaned girl, and in the sideways world, he puts her ahead himself.

I wouldn't say that people have better lives in sideways world, if we take 'better' to mean 'happier'. They make better choices, which results in them having more meaningful lives. Which are, in the end, better. So far.

I love any scene in which Hurley gives someone a hug Also, I'm glad the Hurley/Miles comedy duo has been reunited. I loved the aside of Miles knowing how Nikki and Paulo died, and more, the Expose episode now has meaning, because Miles found the diamonds.

Except that we still don't know the whys and wherefores of his $3.2 million request.

Questions: how was Jacob a father-figure to Ilana? What happened to Annie? I was really hoping we'd find out in this episode, but no luck.

Do you suppose Jacob was the 'Great Man' who recruited the eye-patch-wearing-Russian to the island?

Who are the remaining 6 candidates? Obviously not the Oceanic 6, because Kate wasn't on the wall. So, there's Sawyer, Jack, a Kwon, Miles (I think...was his name still there or crossed out?), Hurley, and Sayid ( think Jarrah was still there, and not crossed out). Linus, Littleton, and Locke were all there, but crossed out.