Haruspicy 102: People are wondering when Lost abandoned Egyptians for Romans. And what about the Temple -- a site so central to the beginning of this season? Well, it's got a lot of hieroglyphic markings, but with the mikvah featuring so prominently, I can't help but think of the Temple at Jerusalem. When Rome sacked Jerusalem circa 70 A.D., perhaps some Jewish refugees set sail and wound up on Craphole. Egypt fell to Roman rule around 30 B.C. at Cleopatra's death, but it's not like Egypt disappeared or anything, so I'm just assuming that at some point, Egyptians were drawn to Craphole -- perhaps then, or perhaps in the late fourth century A.D., when Emperor Theodosius I banned non-Christian rites and closed pagan temples throughout the Roman Empire. Maybe some Ancient Egyptians set sail searching for a new, free land, and ended up on Craphole. Suckers.

Haruspicy 103: Finally, people have also pointed out that Romans were largely land lubbers, and so they're wondering how either Claudia or CJ ended up washing up on our island in the first place. Remember though, the island can move through time and space. Maybe, at one point, it was smack dab in the Mediterranean. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm sticking to it, because as much as "Across the Sea" is a flashback and an origin tale, it's presented more like an origin myth (allegory, fable, parable or what have you) than a scientific account. It presents facts in story form. Whatever happened, happened -- those are the constants in our story. If a detail isn't covered, it doesn't matter. No matter how curious we are, our choice remains: like it or lump it. With little time left, yet much invested, there's no way I can lump it, so refill my wine glass, and let's put this bitch in the ground.

Craphole; Circa 13 A.D.: Adolescent-Angst Esau (Ryan Hanson Bradford) looks like every single boy I ever fell in love with, on the cover of Tiger Beat. But that's hardly here nor there. He finds a Senet game sticking out of the sand. I apologize for calling it Backgammon in the recaplet. Earlier this season, I was doing some research on Backgammon (for this show) and came across information on Senet, but after "Across the Sea" aired, I couldn't remember its name, so I just substituted Backgammon, because I wanted to go to bed. Too honest? Anyhow, Esau is setting his black rocks on the board when his fraternal twin Juvenile-Gem Jacob (Kenton Duty a.k.a. "Boy" in previous recaps) approaches. When Esau invites Jacob to play, Jacob wonders how Esau even knows how. Esau: "I just know." This is an important fact about Esau. He "just knows" a lot. Chew that over. Think about Smokey rigging (or double-rigging) that C4 to the watch. Heck, think about him even knowing he'd need the watch. Think about him anticipating the Losties' reaction to the C4. Think about all the things he's done in all his forms in all these years. He does just know, doesn't he? He just knows. Anyhow, Esau will show Jacob how to play if he'll promise not to tell "Mother" (CJ), "Because she'll take it away." Jacob examines the white game piece in his hand. Esau: "So -- do you want to play or don't you, Jacob?" It sounds weightier than it reads. It is. It's everything. Jacob thinks it over and then places his white rock on his end of the board. "Yes. I want to play." And there we have it. This whole thing -- birth, death, love, loss, injury, miraculous healing, black, white, cage sex, getting caught in a net, pushing buttons, blowing up hatches, fail safes, magical magnets, Dharma beer and magic boxes -- it all comes down to this: It's all in the game. It's fricking child's play, I tell you what. Need more wine. BRB.