Well Above Average: LOST: Who's gonna FOLLOW THE LEADER??

LOST guru George Yuhba breaks it down for us as we head towards the season finale:

"I have this condition" - Daniel Faraday to Charles Widmore.

Hello LOSTies,

This condition would be memory loss for the genius. And the only solution is mommie dearest sending him to the island knowing that she will kill him. Such a sad tale as Eloise pushes her son to focus on math and science to hopefully one day correct her past indiscretions, but since whatever happened, happened Daniel still gets shot and killed. But not before he tells Jack and Kate about his Variable theory that they MAY be able to change the past. For that to happen they would need to blow up the hydrogen bomb, Jughead, which Eloise buried in 1954 somewhere on the island.

Over in DHARMAville, Jack/Kate/Daniel's escape leads Radzinsky straight to Sawyer's house where he discovers Phil tied up and gagged in the closet. Sawyer and Juliet surrender to the men, while Hurley and Miles start their escape plan. It is revealed that Penny is Daniel's half sister, Charles Widmore is Daniel's daddy! Also, in 2008, Eloise visits Penny while she awaits word on Desmond's surgery to remove the bullet that Ben put inside of him. Desmond makes it out of surgery and reminds Penny he will not leave her. Eloise pulls a Chris Brown and slaps Charles when confronted with the fact she sent Daniel to the island.

Other key things:
- Juliet is glad to help Kate leave by giving her the code to the sonic fence.
- Daniel gives young Charlotte his ominous warning.
- Daniel confronts Pierre with the truth: he's from the future and he needs to evacuate the island.
- Miles denies being from the future or Pierre's son when Daniel is trying to make his case.

So where is everyone and with whom going into the final stretch here:

2008
USA - Desmond, Penny, Charlie, Eloise, Charles, Walt
Hydra Island - Ilana, Bram, Frank, Ajira survivors
LOST Island - Locke, Sun, Ben, Richard, the Others

1977
DHARMAville - Sawyer, Juliet, Radzinsky, Phil, Horace
Outskirts of DHARMAville - Pierre, Hurley, Jin, Miles
Jungle - Dead Daniel, Jack, Kate, Eloise, Richard, the Hostiles
Missing in Jungle - Sayid

And now on to tonight..."Follow The Leader"

With the finale next week looming, the best way to describe tonight's episode is the lead up to the events in the finale. It's setting the stage, it's placing people and events. The name of tonight is appropriate as the groups form out and seek leadership on their next roles in the story. In 2008, Locke will meet up with the Others and reclaim his role as their leader. He will take them on a trek across the island. For one it will mean hope, for another it may mean death.

Ben will have a hard time accepting Locke as his superior, which may lead John to give Ben a fateful assignment. In 1977, the fallout from Sawyer and Juliet's deception will lead to a bargaining chip that could lead to something positive. Meanwhile, Pierre and Eloise come to their own conclusions, which sets into motion two major events...two decisions that may cost everyone everything. For one group it could mean salvation, for another it could mean rewriting history. And anything can happen....

Stick around folks, because next week is the season finale of LOST...