Flying off the rails, "Because You Left" dives deep into the mythology of LOST right from the onset. We get a glimpse into Dr. Marvin Candle's work on the island, chiefly his attempt to film an orientation video for The Arrow station, someone referring to him as "Dr. Chang," and some details about the "seemingly unlimited power" that will help the Dharma initiative control time.

Furthermore, we get answers to several questions. How does Faraday know so much about the island, and has he ever stepped foot on the island before? Moreover, how will the time convention be turned on it's ear for a fifth season? We all know that the LOST creators have played with the flashback/flashforward conceit of the show over the past few seasons, and season 5 takes things to a new level of mindbending confusion.

We learn that Ben's season finale "island move" has had further repercussions. Namely, either the losties or the island itself may have become dislodged from time. Things shift frequently, accompanied by flashes of white light. One minute, Sawyer and company are standing on an abandoned beach where their camp used to stand, the next they are standing next to the blast site formerly known as the hatch.

Locke is also set adrift, one minute watching as Eko's brother's plane crashes into the trees, the next being saved by Richard Alpert who gives him some unsettling news, "You're going to need to convince them to come back, and to do that John, you're going to have to die."

Faraday remains at the forefront for this episode, and we get a sense that he's going to continue to play an integral role in the fate of our dear survivors. After all, he understands more about the time conundrum they are all trapped in than anyone else, and he also possesses knowledge about the rules at play.

When Sawyer flips out about the loss of his friends, it's Faraday who informs him that he cannot change what has already happened. This is evident in Sawyer's attempts to roust Desmond. Faraday explains that because Sawyer has already met Desmond, he will never answer the hatch door no matter how hard he pounds. But Faraday also knows that Desmond is special, and the rules do not necessarily apply to him in the same way that they do to the others. It will be interesting to see how much of Faraday's knowledge gets parsed out over the course of the new season.

As for the first episode in, it's a rollercoaster ride (and a welcomed one at that). For fans of the show, "Because You Left" is chock full of the very same labyrinthine frustrations that make the show so compelling. The nice thing is, fans of the show can sit back and enjoy the risky storytelling without fears of cancellation. The power of fandom strikes again.