Who Is Who? What is What?

The Bomb
I've said it on Nikki's main post but I think it's worth repeating. When Juliet hits the bomb on the eight try, just as the screen fades to white there is a distinct explosion sound. A sound unlike any of the closing sounds previously used on Lost. In the season 6 preview, the image behind the lettering is that of an explosion cloud. If the bomb did go off, as I believe, then a nuclear explosion would surely have caused a significant destruction and averted the incident.
[more to come in another post]

Moebius Loop
The producers have suggested that the compass is in a Moebius loop. This could also be applied to the entire show's storyline. What it implies is that, this is the second time around that the 815ers are in 1977, only now it's from their own perspective (a 2007 perspective if you will) as opposed to DHARMA's 1977 perspective. A Moebius strip has the property that after one length of the band, an image will return to its original position as a mirror of itself. It takes two full lengths to return as it original (this is not the best explanation, if anyone wants clarity, you can google it). So are we seeing this kind of representation in the show? Perhaps, This would certainly mean that at some point on that loop, things can happen differently than how it originally happened.
[more to come as well]


JACOB
Now what about Jacob? The cabin remains a mystery, and it probably got deeper. When Ilana arrives, she finds the piece of cloth knifed to the wall. The important detail in that particular scene is the knife used. It is the same knife that Jacob used to cut his fish in the opening scene. So why did Jacob put that particular piece of cloth there? Was it as a note that he had moved back to the statue? Was it that, since the cabin had been deserted, Ilana should meet him a the statue? Ilana was recruited by Jacob, so when she says they're going to show somebody what's in the box so they know who they're up against... what exactly does it mean?
1) They need to show Jacob the body so he knows he's up against not-Locke?
2) They need to show Maybesau the body so he knows their group was able to kill his plan?
There is definitely not enough information to really find a definitive answer of who was in the cabin. It could have been Maybesau trapped by Jacob. It could have been the other war around as well! All along we were always told it was Jacob, but in fact it's who Ben and Locke believed to Jacob, whether or not it was him.

But Ilana's role in all of this may not be as clear as we're led to believe... or maybe it is? On the Hydra island, after Ben awakens from his oar-slam, he asks Bram and Ilana what's in the box and if they need help. Their exchange is intriguing, as if one (or both) of the parties know who the other is. This ties in with Bram's speech to Miles and how he should not work for Widmore. So could they be working for Ben? And since they are in possession of Locke's body when not-Locke is present, they are definitely aware of what is happening and so, why are they not doing anything about it? Are they working for Maybesau or Jacob? What was their plan exactly? One would think that they were not aware they'd find Locke's body in the plane. So what was their original purpose? I believe Ilana helped Jacob by bringing Sayid on Ajira 316, and that she had a greater purpose than simply that, hence the presence of Bram and the others.

As for non-Locke, how does body snatching actually work? It appears that the body itself remains intact. Locke's body was still in on the island and even more so, was in the box not-Locke was standing next to on the beach prior to leaving the Hydra island! What is intriguing is that Christian's body was never actually found. On top of that, Christian appeared to Jack off the island in between 2004 and 2007! It could very well be that when Christian tells Vincent his son has work to do, it's all leading up to eventually killing Jacob, the same reason Christian leads Locke.

This brings back the conversation Locke had with Christian in the cave. He asked him why Richard told him he was going to die, to which Christian replies "I suppose that's why they call it sacrifice." Christian certainly does not deny that Locke will need to die. When John is in the hospital bed talking to Widmore, Charles realizes John came back to "bring them back, the ones who left", and seems to understand what is happening, or at least has an idea, his posture and perception of John certainly changes. The last comment he makes by Locke's bed is that, if he's not back on the island when the war arrives, the wrong side is going to win. But does he mean on the island as himself or as a vessel for someone else? The next day, when John tells him what Richard told him, Charles replies he doesn't know why he said that, but he was going to do everything to prevent it. It is in fact Ben who kills John, and later John will convince Ben to kill Jacob.

So, who exactly is on whose side? Whose cabin is it? Are Ben and Charles two sides fighting for Jacob? Why would Eloise be helping Ben while still in touch with Charles? As a matter of fact, she's the one who insisted Jack brings Locke on the plane with something of his father's. Did she know what was going to happen?

There are so many topics to discuss, this 8 months period may not be as long as we all think!