Alternatively, I have my own theory that the MiB is Esau, playing out an eternal competition with his brother Jacob throughout eternity on this purgatory-like island. And all the men and women are merely players for their amusement/dueling, pawns in the great game.

I don’t think the reminder was entirely necessary, as Lost fans have a fairly comprehensive memory for these types of things, and Lostpedia and other sites would surely have figured out the significance of those names pretty quickly. However, I think the reminder was helpful in that, for viewers who don’t follow through on every mystery, it points them towards the real mysteries surrounding the wall without coming out and saying it. The real story, as your conversation with Sean and Jonathan indicates, is that Kate isn’t on the list, or that Ben’s absence explains why Jacob was never “hands-on.”

While the show could have easily placed those scenes from “The Incident” in the “Previously On” segment and left it up to the viewer, making an overt connection suggests that the presence of the those five names is more than just a small mystery, allowing even non-Lostpedia followers to turn their attention from the simple connection of names to the broader questions that it represents.

Plus, when Terry O’Quinn eventually submits this for an Emmy, the clueless Emmy voters will be less confused, and more likely to give him the award he so richly deserves.

I love how every moment in the sideways timeline–every moment–is ripe with narrative expectation. We’re not watching this as we would a straight-up story, but as a constant series of revelations. Look at how much about Locke was unveiled in this episode: his relationship with Helen (and, more mysteriously, with his father), his deception about the walkabout, his job (and job change), and his seeming acceptance of his fate (thus far, and begrudgingly). Moreover, every little moment of interaction or mention of someone else opens up other possibilities. Rose seems to be very close to her original timeline self, while Hugo is inverted, and Ben (! – I didn’t see that coming!) is completely alien to the Ben we know. I’m also wondering how/when he got off the island, presuming it was Jughead that sunk it in 1977; this may be our first hint that some other stuff has happened in addition to “the incident.”

My fanboy moment: Sawyer taking the possessed/whatever Smocke completely in stride. He’s moved right on to just accepting whatever the island throws at him, reacting not with disbelief (as he still showed in early season 5), but with a resigned “now what?” Similarly, for those who think James has simply gone with Smocke’s option #3, don’t forget that he’s a con man. He knows full well that the MiB intends to use and (likely) discard him, but will play along for as long as takes to find an opening.