That Last Temptation of Jacob by Fronzel Neekburm

I've got it figured out. At least, I think I do. Let's look at the past few episodes, up through "The Lighthouse." 815 lands safely. Kate escapes. Jack has his son that he bonds with. Locke has a good relationship with his father (presumably) and is getting married to Helen. The island is completely gone. Hurley has always had good luck.

This is their ideal lives. Sure, there are little problems, consequences. Locke gets fired. Jack's not a great father. Kate's still on the run. But it's I guess you would say believably ideal. Jack's father doesn't magically spring back to life and start granting wishes. Basically, the flash-sideways are the last test... temptations into a better life. Jack is starting to see something is wrong, he still had his appendix scar. And it was easily explained away by something he didn't remember!

I honestly think this is the last temptation. At some point, our Losties will become aware, in a way, of this alternate world, or at least the finalists in "Who wants to be the next island protector" contest. And they have to choose. Choosing the better life gets you crossed off the list.

This leads to the progress part of it. The new Jacob (I believe it will be Hurley) ends up getting a choice of letting people in this new life, or keeping things the way they are. I think this is how they're going to get around the massive killings the past seasons and still having some happy ending. Sawyer can end up with Juliet, Locke can still have a somewhat happy life, Boone doesn't die, etc, etc, etc, etc.

Yes, we've seen some instances that contradict this mostly Locke getting his own alternate flash. however... we've seen that the Man In Black-Locke HAS had some flashes of being part Locke. What's to say that this little part of Locke isn't also given a chance at happiness this way?

This would also tie together the Alternate Universe neatly with the main universe. It also means it's more than a throwaway universe... it exists! It's a living breathing entity on it's own, and it matters.