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The end is near! Lost's last episode airs in May of 2010!

When Season 4 ended, the show had reached the two-thirds milestone. The producers had just 34 more episodes to explain all the island's mysteries. The show's ratings were faltering after viewers had waited nearly eight months before the airing of season four's new episodes. But there was some good news, too. The series had finally found some direction...

Strangely, part of the ending was already revealed, since the "flashback" at the end of season three turned out to be scenes from the future of the island castaways. Anguished leader Jack attends a funeral where nobody came, and he's wracked with guilt. And his well-dressed lost love Kate tells Jack that she can't stay and talk, because someone is waiting for her. (Although later in Season 4, it's revealed that Kate has apparently adopted the baby that belonged to the Australian single mother Claire!)

Season Four was marked by more "flashfowards" - scenes from the future. (I've always thought the final season should show the characters after they've escaped from the island, which each episode's flashbacks now showing their life on the island!) Season four headed in that direction, with the castaways finally contacting a rescue team - but then realizing they didn't trust them!

Here were the highlights of Season Four.

1. A boat returns. Season two ended with one castaway escaping on a boat - Michael, along with his son Walt. It seemed a little too easy, especially since sailing away in a boat simply results in it returning to the same island (according to the eccentric Desmond.) And a slightly-older Walt even appeared as a vision towards the end of season three. (Plus, ABC has even released publicity photos which include an as-yet-unexplained visit from Michael.)

2. The other Others? There's a rescue boat waiting, but it's not Desmond's wealthy, long-lost love. Instead, it's a new crop of scary bad people, even worse than "The Others" who live on the island. What could create two camps of violent aggressors?I t's the island's ability to seemingly grant wishes, show visions of the future, and even heal people. Shrouded with secrecy and greed, their struggle means that the survivors of the "Lost" plane crash actually landed in the middle of their private war.

3. The undead return. We've already seen supposedly dead people (like a mysterious man in an eye patch) returning to life. And the show seems to enjoy bringing back characters that we thought were gone for good. On this island, anything's possible!

4. "This isn't supposed to be"

It was inevitable that the series would return to the "Desmond dilemma" - that this isn't "supposed to be." Visions from the future suggest that somehow reality took an alternate fork, where everyone is unhappy and unsettled, regretting their decision to side with the rescue crew instead of their brainwashing enemies from the other side of the island.

Wrapping up all these plot details definitely cut into the show's character development. There's a list of favorite characters who were pushed to the side at the end of season three (including Jin, Claire, and Sayeed). Viewers care about the characters who are stranded on that island, which is what really keeps them tuning in week after week. Hopefully the writers will eventually wake up to this loyalty, and devise a story that's worthy of it. It's always hard to anticipate the developments in a mysterious TV show, but there's one final prediction that's certain to come true.

People who watch it on ABC's web site will see a lot fewer commercials!

Learn more about this author, Moe Zilla.
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