It's All About Progress... by grungemonkey

As a huge fan, I have noticed a trend within every season of Lost. Every year, me and countless others come up with deep, labyrinthine theories as to how the show will play out. However, year after year, its so much simpler than we think (hope?) it to be.

In season three, All along we were torn up about revelations of the others and the importance of the ability to procreate on the island...and what does the big turning point turn out to be, other than Jack's flashforward? The question the season pivoted on was whether Juliet was really a double agent or just working for the others. Season Four, we were waiting with bated breath for a massive on-island war. All it came down to was how exactly the O6 made it off. And last year, it all boiled down to setting off a nuke.

This year, im seeing theory after theory about the numbers, and even some about the hurley bird. At this point, the explanations given (or not given) will suffice. As Darlton have said a multitude of times about the "midichorian" analogy, complete knowledge of mythology can ruin the intrigue of the series.

This season will boil down into a few simple yet compelling plot threads:
1. MIB attempting to get candidates onto his side, and eventually killing them off.
As we know, MIB just "wants to go home." Jacob's successor- and perhaps his own- Is what is required to let him leave. Thus, as he has already begun with Sawyer, candidates will be forced to take sides, and perhaps made to kill each other- as it seems, the MIB cannot kill candidates directly (otherwise, wouldn't he have just iced sawyer?)
2. The person "coming to the island" is either Charles Widmore or Desmond, or both together. Cusick and Dale have both signed on for this season, and It seems as if a candidate like Widmore would love to assume Jacob's position, using his power to control the mysteries of the island.
3. Also, going with Jacobs' "progress" quote, the ALT reality seems a lot like an extended version of the season three finale's flashforwards. A fitting end i see is a re-set, most likely done by jack (to explain his confusion with his appendix, his reaction to desmond on the plane, and overly helpful demeanor to locke), that creates this flash-forward scenario.

These seem like three stories that would serve to drive the series to a head. MIB and his crew running amok, fighting/helping Widmore's people, and the remaining unclaimed losties fighting to survive or to end the entire island nightmare.

Just my two cents