Lost: What lies ahead

May 25, 9:35 PMLost ExaminerMolly Lemick

The Smoke Monster Probably the biggest question on my mind is what the Smoke Monster really is. From the looks of the season 5 finale, and the popular fan opinion, the monster is actually the man who threatened Jacob in the first scene, and it is also currently residing in Fake Locke's body. So what is this thing? Is it a man with supernatural abilities, a manifestation of the island itself...or is it the devil? The battle of Good vs Evil has always been a  part of the show, but next year, it will be a front and center story.

Jacob So is he a man or a god? He is ageless, is able to summon people to the island and seems to be the powerful being behind most all of the island's strange goings-on. He also appears to be the Good guy in this biblical-like war. But now that he's dead, what does that mean for the fate of the island and its inhabitants? That is, if he really is dead. There are still more questions about Jacob just begging to be answered. Where did he come from? Why did he select the Oceanic survivors to come to the island? How is he so powerful? My gut tells me that we haven't seen the last of Jacob.

Claire We went all season without an answer to what really happened to Claire, who we last saw sharing a secret with her father Christian in Jacob's cabin (also, is Christian really Smokey in disguise? And why did Claire really feel the need to go with him anyway? More on that later) So what prompted Claire to abandon her baby Aaron? Is she dead, being misled by her daddy, or did her brush with death help her to see the grand plan--which involved her leaving her son? We've waited patiently, but now it's time we get a glimpse of Claire once more. Just a glimpse, it's all I need!

Jack All along Jack has had daddy issues that have lingered and haunted him more than most. Just days after arriving on the island, he began seeing his dead father roaming around the jungle. Though he's been a strong leader on island, Jack's biggest weakness has been his father. So next season, what's the best way to wrap up Jack's story in a make-it-or-break-it blowout? An epic battle with daddy, of course! Whether it be a confrontation, a physical attack, or even killing the man who raised him, Jack has to cut the cord and start living his own life...minus the traumatic visions of father.

Sun and Jin Will they finally be reunited after being separated by thirty years? They've been through so much already, it's time the couple has a teary eyed reunion that we can all pretend not to be crying during. Popular opinion is that when Juliet set off the bomb down at the hatch, instead of changing time or history, she merely moved the stranded time travelers back to where they belonged in 2008. Which means the couple can finally be happy together in their little hut again...until Sun tells Jin that she left their baby girl at home, that is.

Kate has been restless, independent, and just a tad selfish since we first met her way back in 2004. She got a second chance when she escaped a prison sentence and ended up being Jack's second in command on the island. But still her story is incomplete as she became a mother to abandoned Aaron, had a rocky relationship with Jack, and gave up her son. Now she's back on the island, and to her way of thinking, the only way she can ever redeem herself is to find Claire and reunite her with Aaron...just like it was always meant to be. Kate is bound to succeed and therefore answer the "what happened to Claire?" question, and then go on to find her own place on the island, where she was always meant to be.

Juliet was sucked into the hatch and in an attempt to save everyone, she set off the bomb and hopefully changed the future, or at least set things right again. But is she gone for good? It looks like a yes, but let's say she wasn't blown to oblivion down in that pit. Maybe like when Desmond turned the failsafe key at the end of season two, Juliet will also be transported to the correct time zone. Argument for: one of the island's lesser mysteries is why women can't have babies on the island. Sure, it might not seem as important as Smokey or the meaning of life, but it's out there bugging us. Juliet is the best one to develop that story and lead to an explanation. Sure, it could be wrapped up without her, but that was her purpose for coming to the island, and we all know that no piece of information is given if it doesn't mean something. Argument against: it was a BOMB that went off...like, inches away from her. And yeah, this island does some trippy things, but I'd like to believe that time travel and a simultaneous bombing might be a little to much for the island to handle whilst saving the pretty blonde. Plus, there's also her "guest appearance" on next year's V.

John Locke is dead. We had been fooled for an entire season, believing that Locke had miraculously come back to life upon reaching the island's sandy shore. Unfortunately, Locke's end really was abrupt and tragic, and now he's being carried around in a trunk while his body is being used by Jacob's enemy. But now that the secret is out, Locke's body cannot evoke the same kind of respect that it once could. Smokey (or whoever else might be impersonating Locke) is stuck now...though Jacob's death does put it in some kind of control, doesn't it? Either way, the question remains whether or not Terry O'Quinn will remain as a permanent cast member. One can hope.

And of course, the love triangle (maybe) Jack and Kate. Kate and Sawyer. Who would get the girl; the responsible doctor, or the sweet and passionate con man? Then Juliet was added to the mix and showed equal chemistry with Jack, and courted Sawyer resulting in Lost's most realistic and strongest relationships. Juliet's fate will greatly affect the outcome of who Kate ends up with, but assuming the tough blonde is out of the picture...Kate and Sawyer have had a bond from the start. They were both slightly reckless, outsiders with dark pasts. But then again, Kate and Jack shared a good first scene together...they seemed destined to be together from the start...the usual couple that flirt with togetherness, but don't really end up together until the series finale. It seemed that Kate was bound to break up Sawyer and Juliet, all thanks to her disastrous relationship with Jack, but they did start to get pretty close there before the end of the finale. So what will happen next year as Sawyer mourns his love, Jack tries to find his own destiny, and Kate seeks redemption? Two will no doubt find their way to each other...but which two? (no it will not be Jack+Sawyer, stop twisting my words, sickos)

 Coming up, my ideas about the fate and resoning of Claire, and also, check out upcoming season recaps and updated profiles. Until then, Cheers