Lost Series Finale Countdown: Five Questions that Must Be Answered

The Lost 2010 season finale is set to kick off at 9 PM local time, following directly on the heels of a two-hour complete series retrospective that's scheduled to feature cast interviews and more interesting tidbits from our favorite Island-visitors. As the final chapter of the popular drama finally comes to a close at 11:30 PM and televisions forever darken on the series that's kept viewers intermittently captivated and infuriated for six seasons, it's clear that some questions will remain unanswered. Here are a few that the Lost series finale simply must address... or else!

Lost series finale question #1: Who is Jack's son's babymama? It was surprising when Jack's alternate reality offspring was introduced in Lost season 6 episode 5. It was infuriating when the babymama's identity was kept a secret, episode after episode after episode. Why the big secret? Although it seems vaguely reasonable (okay, not really, but we have to start somewhere) that it could be pre-Island Jack's ex-wife, played by Julie Bowen, it's doubtful. The more likely candidate? Juliet, Jack's one-time Island love interest whose thus-far absence in the alternate reality is puzzling at best.

Lost series finale question #2: Where in heck is Juliet in the alternate reality? The easy, mail-it-in answer to this one is 'duh, she's alien-resisting as a kick-butt FBI agent on V', but surely it goes deeper than that. Sure, her time to shoot Lost was probably limited. But both shows are on the same network; couldn't the production gurus have made a crossover work? Anyway, my bet is that she's none other than Jack's babymama, and her failure to appear thus far in Lost season 6 is more a function of her V-ness than by Lost design.

Lost series finale question #3: Will the Black Smoke slash Man in Black slash poor nameless fool with a really, really mean streak be killed or escape the Island? Given that the future of not only the Island but the entire planet seems to hinge on this one, we'd best hope that Jack -- who became the New Jacob by drinking the special Kool Aid at the close of Lost season 6 episode 16 -- is able to keep the beast at bay. But really, wouldn't it be utterly hilarious if the Man in Black were defeated, and then immediately replaced by, say, ever-rebellious bad-boy Sawyer, who just happens to find the light and walk into it?

Lost series finale question #4: What happens to Kate, Sawyer and Hurley now that Jack has taken the Job? Can they ever really go home again, after having seen what they've seen, or are they better served to stick around on the Island and help Jack with his duties? If they do head home, maybe Kate and Sawyer will finally hook up for good. They make each other happy... sort of.

Lost series finale question #5: Why is Desmond so darned special? Despite Charles Widmore's disdain for his daughter's boyfriend, he clearly has -- and always has had -- a desperate need for the time and space continuum-gifted brutha. He's clearly one of the most essential characters in the alternate reality, and was at last glance pulling the Oceanic 815 'survivors' together to take... some sort of action. But what? We must find out.

The Lost 2010 season - and series! - finale is right around the corner. What questions do YOU want to see answered once and for all?