Could Someone Please Give Me Directions?

So could someone give me directions please? I am terribly “Lost”…

My “Lost” adviser, EW.com’s Doc Jensen said that last night’s episode was for the major “Lost” fans who dissect every minute detail to fit all of the clues together. I guess that’s why I’m still not sure what’s going on.

Warning: If you have not yet seen Thursday’s episode of “Lost,” stop reading now.
Doc Jensen theorized that Ben is now leading the life that Locke was supposed to live. The Island/The Others had to go to their fallback plan because Locke failed the test; but that Charles Widmore has still been trying to get Locke to accept that life to defeat Ben.

And then he said a whole bunch of other stuff that totally lost me…

So could somebody help me out here? Just what is going on? Why and how were Christian and Claire in the cabin? Who was the person who ordered “the purge”? And what is the deal with that ageless other, Richard?

Doc Jensen said the prevailing theory about Richard is that he is a survivor from the Black Rock (which some say explains the pirate-like eyeliner). How that’s possible is more of the stuff that made my head hurt.

The only thing I completely understood about last night’s show is that “Lost” has a great knack for making some of my favorite actors completely creepy. I’ve always thought John Terry (Christian) was a great romantic leading man, but on “Lost” he completely makes my skin crawl. And what about Nestor Carbonell (Richard)? I’ve been a fan of his since the “Suddenly Susan” days (and especially during “The Tick” days). But when he looked in the window at baby Locke--YIKES!

Next week we get part one of the season finale as we get closer to seeing the Oceanic Six get off the island and then…

I honestly have no idea…