It's only been eight episodes, but I think we can safely say that Lost's fourth, phenomenal season is the show's best yet. And I can tell that the creators are only getting warmed up; the final two seasons should be even better. Season 4 might also be the most confusing season so far, with a twist and turn every few minutes. We've had a multitude of the plots going on, the main two being the present, on-island mayhem, and the other being the future-tale of the Oceanic Six.

Lost will return next Thursday night for five more episodes, comprising the rest of Season Four. But it's been four whole weeks since we last saw the castaways, so here's my summary of season four so far. A lot has happened this season, and I attempted to keep it as brief as possible. The flash-forwards are not included in this summary; if you want my thoughts and summary on those, read my article entitled "The Flash-Forward Timeline."

The Summary

Season Four opened literally in the middle of the action. A woman named Naomi had parachuted onto the island a few days prior to the start of the season. She claimed to be from Penny Widmore's boat, and that they were looking for Desmond Hume. The survivors couldn't contact her boat, however, because the satellite phone Naomi possessed was being jammed by a signal from the underwater "looking glass" station, and Rosseau's message that had been playing for 16 years. While Jack and the survivors head up to the radio tower, Charlie and Desmond went to the looking glass station. After shutting off the signal, Charlie drowned, but not before he warned Desmond that the freighter was not Penny's boat.

Ben, a prisoner of Jack's, tells him not to contact the freighter, or else it would be "the beginning of the end." Ben told Jack that the freighter would kill everyone on the island, but Jack ignored him and began to make contact. Then Locke came into the scene and threw a knife in Naomi's back. Locke couldn't kill Jack though, and walked away. Jack made contact with the freighter, and a friendly voice informed him that a helicopter was on its way.

Season Four opened minutes after this incident. While Ben was playing mind-games with Jack, Naomi suddenly disappeared. Kate managed to track her down, and shortly before dying, Naomi informed her people that the injury was an accident. Meanwhile, Desmond returned to the beach and informed those that had stayed behind of Charlie's final message. They set off to inform the others, and meet up with Locke in the process.

When all the survivors converge that night in the jungle, Jack tries to kill Locke for his attempted sabotage of Jack's mission. Thankfully, Jack fails, and Locke tells everyone that the freighter is bad news. His theory is supported by Charlie's final message, which is driven home in a moving speech by Hurley. The survivors then split in two-Hurley, Claire, Sawyer, Ben, his daughter Alex and her boyfriend Karl, Rousseau, Vincent the dog, and four unnamed survivors head with Locke to the barracks, while everyone else returns to beach with Jack.

Meanwhile, in the air, a helicopter containing four agents from the freighter gets into turbulence. The helicopter is piloted by a man named Frank Lapidus, who knew the captain of Oceanic 815. The passengers of the helicopter are Daniel Faraday, Charlotte Lewis, and Miles Straume. Daniel is a physicist, Charlotte is an archeologist, and Miles is a supposed 'ghost whisperer.'

The three parachute out at different locations. Daniel is quickly found by Jack and Kate, and together, they track down Miles and Frank. Frank reveals that he landed the helicopter intact.After finding out that Juliet is one of the Others, Miles demands to know where Ben is. It is at this point that Jack and friends learn that recusing them is not the primary objective---the mission is to find Benjamin Linus.

Meanwhile, Locke finds Charlotte and takes her prisoner. After Ben tries to kill her, Locke decides to kill Ben. Under gunpoint, Ben reveals that the freighter is looking for him; but Ben is one step ahead of the freighter. He has placed a spy aboard their ship.

Jack and Miles wonder what to do about Charlotte, who they conclude has been taken prisoner by Locke. Sayid offers to go get Charlotte back without bloodshed, under the condition that Frank flies him to the freighter. They agree, and Sayid departs with Kate and Miles.

Locke and his crew arrive at the barracks, and use Hurley to ambush Sayid, Kate and Miles. Kate and Sawyer discuss the future they would have off the island, and Sawyer convinces Kate to stay with him at the barracks. Sayid negotiates with Locke to exchange Charlotte with Miles, in order to get access to the boat. Locke tells him that wouldn't be necessary as Ben has a spy on that freighter, to which Sayid responds that he would rather sell his soul than trust Ben.

At the helicopter, Desmond confronts pilot Frank about the picture Naomi had of him and his ex-fiancé Penelope. Frank denies any knowledge of her, but Desmond nevertheless demands a place on a helicopter. At the same time, Sayid returns, with only Charlotte. While Frank accuses Sayid of being dishonest, he also didn't like Miles, and takes off with Desmond and Sayid.

Back at the barracks, Locke continues to try and coax information out of Ben, who just plays mind games. Meanwhile, Kate visits Locke's other prisoner, Miles, and cuts a deal with him: he will tell her what he knows about her if he can speak to Ben for a minute. Kate manages to get Miles a meeting with Ben, and Miles offers Ben a deal; if Ben gives him 3.2 million dollars, Miles will lie to his employer and tell him that Ben is dead. Miles gives Ben a week to produce the cash. Before Locke finds them, Miles reveals that he knows all about Kate's past; her crimes and arrest included. When Kate returns to the barracks, Locke banishes her, telling her to be out of the barracks by morning.

Back on the beach, it's been 24 hours since Desmond and Sayid went with Frank to the freighter. Jack has anxiously been waiting to hear word from them, and they contact the freighter themselves. Regina answers and says that they have not yet arrived.

For Desmond and Sayid, it's only been about half an hour since they lifted off. As they travel to the freighter, they hit turbulence. Suddenly, Desmond flashes back to 1996 when he is serving for the British Army's Royal Scots Regiment. Moments later, when his mind returns to the helicopter, he neither knows where he is nor recognizes his companions; he has no memory of his life since 1996. After the helicopter lands, Desmond continues to jump between 1996 and December 2004. Desmond is taken to the sick bay, where communications officer Minkowski is tied to a bed because he is experiencing similar problems. Minkowski explains that someone sabotaged the radio room a couple of days ago and that Desmond's ex-girlfriend Penny has been trying to call the freighter.

Sayid uses the satellite phone to contact Jack on the beach and explains the situation. Daniel asks Jack if Desmond has recently been exposed to a high level of radiation of electromagnetism. Jack is unsure, and so Daniel speaks to Desmond and asks him about his situation. Desmond responds that he believes that he is in 1996 when he is serving for the Royal Scots. Faraday understands and tells Desmond that he needs to take a train to the physics department of Queen's College in Oxford to find Daniel the next time that he flashes back to 1996.

When he goes back to 1996, Desmond tracks down Faraday. Using a rat named Eloise and an electromagnetic machine, Faraday simulates Desmond's situation with the rat, and explains that Desmond's mind is "unstuck" in time. The rat dies from being unstuck in time, and Faraday explains that Desmond must find a "constant"---someone in both 1996 and 2004, or else he too will die. Desmond decides that Penny can be that constant; however, he must make contact with her in 2004.

Desmond finds Penny, who is angry with him about the break-up. Desmond persists and eventually gets her number. He tells her not to change it because he will call her on Christmas Eve 2004. He stresses that it is a matter of life and death. In 2004, Sayid, Desmond, and Minkowski escape the sick bay and begin to repair the broken communications equipment. Desmond calls Penny, who tells him that she has been searching for him for the past three years; the two reconcile and confirm their love for one another before the power is cut off. Back on the island, Daniel flips through his journal and discovers a note that he had written, "If anything goes wrong, Desmond Hume will be my constant."

Later that night, Daniel and Charlotte sneak off to find the Tempest station. Juliet is visited by what appears to be her old counselor (from her days as an 'other') named Harper. Harper tells Juliet that Daniel and Charlotte are going to kill everyone on the island by deploying a lethal gas and that Ben is ordering Juliet to kill Daniel and Charlotte.

Jack and Juliet pursue Daniel and Charlotte, but are interrupted on the way by Kate, who was knocked unconscious by Charlotte. Jack stays behind to care for Kate, while Juliet runs ahead. When Juliet finds the pair, they frantically explain that they were actually trying to shut off the gas so that Ben couldn't use it. Juliet lets them do this. When Jack arrives, Juliet explains that there is going to be a war between the freighter crew and Ben. She thinks that Ben will win. She fears for Jack because, as flashbacks in this episode showed, Ben thinks she is his possession; Jack shows no worry and kisses her.

Meanwhile, at the Barracks, Ben offers Locke information on the freighter if ben lets him go. Ben reveals that the freighter is owned by Charles Widmore, and that Widmore intends to exploit the island. After handing Locke a file containing information concerning Widmore, Ben tells Locke who his spy on the freighter is (but the show went to commercial before we found out). As promised, Locke frees Ben from captivity and lets him reside freely in the barracks.

Back at the beach, Sun is becoming suspicious about the freighter's crew. Despite Juliet's warning to Sun that women who conceive on the island die during their second trimester, Sun arranges to go with Jin to the barracks and stay with Locke (thus staying on the island). Juliet tries to stop Sun from leaving by telling Jin that Sun had an affair, causing him to angrily back out of the journey at the last minute. Jin goes fishing with Bernard, who puts things in perspective for him. In a character-defining moment, Jin forgives Sun, telling her that he understands why she did it.

On the Kahana, Desmond and Sayid speak with captain Gault. He explains the reason that Widmore is so intent on finding Ben is because he believes Ben staged the wreckage of the plane. That night, Desmond and Sayid meet Michael Dawson working as a deckhand under the alias "Kevin Johnson". Sayid is shocked, but pretends not to know Michael.

At the barracks, Locke calls a meeting with everyone. Ben confirms to everyone that Michael is indeed his inside man. As everyone departs, Ben tells his daughter Alex to go to the " Temple" station, where the rest of the Others are hiding. He tells them that there is going to be an attack, and she (along with boyfriend Karl and mother Rousseau) must get to safety. Alex agrees and departs with Karl and Rousseau.

Meanwhile, after deliberating, Sayid and Desmond decide to confront Michael. Michael explains what happened after he left the island. Back in New York, Michael has become estranged from Walt after confessing that he killed Libby and Ana Lucia. As Michael tries to kill himself, he is visited by Tom. Tom offers Michael a way to redeem himself; become Ben's spy on the freighter. Tom explains that the freighter is headed to the island to kill everyone on it, which, of course, includes all of Michael's friends. Michael accepts, and becomes Ben's spy on the boat. After hearing that Michael is working for Ben, Sayid brings Michael to Captain Gault and tells him that Michael is a traitor.

On their way to the temple, Alex, Karl and Rousseau are ambushed. Karl is fatally shot in the chest, and as Rousseau and Alex attempt to make a break for it, Rousseau is also shot. Alex stands up and yells to her attackers that she is Ben's daughter.

Smash cut to LOST title card.

Lost will return next Thursday night, but the schedule will be a bit different.It will be on one hour later, at 9:00 PM (mountain time).Make sure not to miss it! My review/analysis of the episode will be posted about 45 minutes later, barring any internet crashes or sudden alien invasions.

Are you excited as I am? It's been an unbelievably hard 4-week wait. I'm ready for more Lost!