Reaction Time: "The 23rd Psalm"

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; For thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."

A deeply personal episode, not just for Mr. Eko. This Bible verse is the one tattooed on my back, a constant reminder of my grandmother. I loved Eko's and Charlie's reciting of the passage - it was a touching and deep moment in the show. It was a pure moment, set outside the mysteries and drama. It was a brother mourning his brother; something anyone can understand.

"The 23rd Psalm" answers the questions presented by "Deus Ex Machina". We now know where the Beechcraft came from, why it was loaded up with drugs, why it contained priests.

Eko has truly changed from the man in the flashbacks. He knows what his previous life cost him - he has truly become a religious man (as evidenced earlier by his self-imposed 40 days of silence after killing two of the Others in self-defense in "The Other 48 Days") and will not venture down the path that led him here again.

Reaction Time: "What Kate Did"

"Don't mistake coincidence for fate."

Mr. Eko, you've been watching the series along with me, haven't you? Reading my blog, are you?

Oh, Katie, Katie, Katie...Sawyer loves you. You kiss Jack. You love Sawyer. Jack loves you. Way to complicate matters. This is why I don't like you. You can't make up your mind, you can't let things be. You have to run, you have to complicate matters.

So Kate killed her step-father (who is apparently actually her birth father), and that's why her mom panicked when she came to visit her in the hospital in "Born to Run" (I didn't recognize Beth Broderick. I fail as a Sabrina the Teenage Witch fan - and this is delayed but OMFG Bernard is Principal Dewitt from Growing Pains?!). Rough story, for sure. Still doesn't excuse who she's become...(sorry writers - I'm not falling for redemption stories. You pissed me off hardcore with Shannon/Sayid).

Where did the horse come from? I know farm animals isn't completely shocking here (I remember them strangling a chicken in "The Other 48 Days"), but a horse is a pretty big thing to stay hidden. But eh, who knows.

Mr. Eko and Michael watch the DHARMA Initiative Orientation film, and Michael asks the question on my mind - the splices. They are quite noticeable - it's more than a single frame missing here and there. Why are they not to communicate with Others? Will there be ramifications for Michael's conversation with (supposedly) Walt? And is the "incident" referred to in the film THE Incident in the Season 5 finale?

"So, Rose's husband is white - didn't see that coming." THANK YOU FOR SAYING WHAT EVERYONE WAS THINKING.

Reaction Time: "The Other 48 Days"

"The children are fine - they're better off now."

So it's been 48 days. The tail enders had a much different journey that our buddies on the awesome side of the island. So these Others know what they're doing - they know how to infiltrate and attack the survivors camps without suspicion. Well, mostly. Nathan and Goodwin were creepy as freaking hell, but Goodwin offered up more insight - why is it that the Others want the children? What's with them and kids? First Claire and Aaron, and now this. Also, what was Goodwin about saying they only take "good people"?? What's the manner of differentiating and deciding?

We also know that the bunker they were camped in was another creation of the DHARMA Initiative. The hatch is Swan and studies the electromagnetism...what is this one's purpose??

Well, thanks for the back story as to how and why Ana Lucia is in charge. YOU STILL KILLED SHANNON, BITCH. Sorry, I'm going to be griping about that one for awhile. I have a strong dislike for Michelle Rodriguez, and her killing someone Sayid loved is some bullshit. I really didn't need to see that scene again. It just made my anger worse. And made me sad - I don't like seeing Sayid sad.

FYI - making homemade soup while trying to blog AND keep track of what's occurring on the show is not exactly an easy task.