the [glass] ballerina

Lost is now 2-for-2 with intriguing episodes this season. I always like seeing Jin and Sun's flashbacks, and these were no exception. Poor Jin thought he had saved someone's life, only to have that person take his own life by making a huge dent in Jin's car. We also see that Sun is fairly used to deceiving the people she's closest to (first her father, then her husband), and she didn't stop the deception when Oceanic 815 crashed.

Several thoughts:

• Really? Ben has lived on the island his own life? Hmmmm....
• It's nice to know that there is indeed an outside world, and The Others keep in touch with it. (And, apparently, George W. Bush is a factor in the Lost universe). But of course we still don't know why The Others don't just go to the outside world, and what keeps them in the island.
• Is Jae the father of Sun's baby? How much does Jin know?
• That was Danielle Rousseau's daughter Alex talking to Kate, right? And speaking of Rousseau, when will she make a return visit? I suspect that she knows more about The Others than she has let on.
• How did Juliet get to score time with Jack in the aquarium, and with Sawyer & Kate on the rock dig? Is she going to be everywhere at once?
• What is the purpose of the rock dig, and what did the other people do to wind up there?
• Please, Jeffrey and J.J. and Damon - don't make The Others all-knowing and all-powerful. So far, that's how they've been portrayed, except that they didn't know a thing about Desmond's sailboat (and how is that possible?). I was excited when Sawyer talked with Kate about "waiting til they make a mistake," but disheartened to see that it was captured on videotape. It will quickly becoming boring if The Others can expect and counter the Losties every move...
• If people would just communicate and be honest with each other, they wouldn't be in the predicaments they have found themselves to be in. Consider: what would have happened if Michael had been honest about what The Others wanted? what would have happened if Jack had told Sawyer, Kate & Hurley about Michael's betrayal? what would have happened if Sayid had been honest - from the outset - with Sun and Jin about his plan to capture two of The Others?
• No matter what Ben says, The Others do not act like they are "the good guys." If they were indeed good, they would have (1) sent genuine help, not spies, to the survivors of the crash, (2) been honest from the outset about their intentions, and (3) not delighted in torturing other people.
• It appears from previews for next week's Further Instructions episode that Ole Smokey makes a return visit.