As a result of Ben moving the island, the survivors left on the island begin skipping through time. Meanwhile, three years later in Los Angeles, Ben starts convincing the Oceanic 6 to return to the island.

While Ben and Jack try to round the Oceanic 6 up, Sayid and Hurley are on the run from the law. Meanwhile, back on the island, the survivors, still skipping through time, come under attack.

Desmond returns to Oxford to fulfill Faraday’s request to find his mother. Back on the island, the survivors discover that they’ve run into The Others 50 years in the past, but Richard Alpert is the same age.

In Los Angeles, Kate tries to find out who is trying to take Aaron away from her. Back on the island, Locke convinces everyone that they have to go to The Orchid.

In order to avoid being killed, Ben promises to offer proof to Sun that Jin is still alive. On the island, Jin meets up with the survivors as Locke reaches The Orchid and fulfills his mission.

Eloise explains that the Oceanic 6 have a very limited window to return to the island, and leaves Jack instructions to bring one of his father’s items to John Locke.

John Locke, now alive again and back on the island after the second plane crash, flashes back to his return to civilization, where he is brought in by Charles Widmore and asked to convince the Oceanic 6 to return to the island.

The survivors left on the island, now led by Sawyer after Locke’s departure, find themselves back in the 1970s, where they are now forced to become members of the Dharma Initiative.