Quick LOST flash (*SPOILERS*)

Spoilers for tonight's "Meet Kevin Johnson".

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Ok, so supposedly the island won't let Michael die when he's on the mainland. Something about the island, some property of it is twisting fate and course correcting the world to keep him from offing himself.

In Jack's flashforward at the end of last season, we see him reading the obituary of someone while on a plane (apparently from hanging), getting tremendously upset, attempting to commit suicide himself, attending the person's funeral, and finally committing himself to going back to the island. People have been speculating for a while that the dead person was Michael, especially since no one came to his funeral and it was in a black section of town. But why the anonymity? And why was Jack so upset?

Somehow in the time between now and when the Oceanic 6 left the island, they discovered what kind of power would keep someone alive back home. They figured out or were told this property. Whatever it is. And there was always a constant threat that that power might someday go away. And if it did go away, they would all be in danger. That's why Jack wasn't afraid of being in another plane crash, and even prayed for it with every flight from the LA to the Far East and back.

Since he read that Michael hanged himself in the obituary (or "Kevin Johnson", since nobody came to his funeral because nobody knew his name but the Losties and the O6), Jack realized that protection was gone. You could be killed out on the mainland. He tried to kill himself, but was stopped from jumping off the bridge by the car wreck.

That knowledge drove him to the drunken despair we saw in the flashforward. And it finally strengthened his resolve to get to the island and rescue those left behind. Whatever happened on the island to remove its protection galvanized Jack to action.

I think that's what we'll see play out over the rest of this season - the O6 being rescued and we'll catch up to the flashforwards. Then next season will pick up with FutureJack and FutureKate at the airport and we'll move forward from there in real time to the end of the series.

Note - I can't remember. Is next season the last season? If not, then they may stretch out the game plan somewhat.