Two days after the season 6 premiere of “Lost,” I’m still thinking about the episode that will define the arc of the final season. By now, I’ve already taken a few deep breaths, asked a bunch of questions, considered all the possibilities, and read Doc Jensen’s seven-page recap over at EW.com.

The one thing that struck me about the 2-hour premiere can be summed up in two words: choices and consequences. If last season was about change, as in what each person can do to change their destiny, this season is about the choices that each individual will/can make in order to get back home, and the consequences of the choices.

Looking back through the past five seasons, everyone has made plenty of right and wrong choices, but this season the choices will really define everyone’s fate. The season five finale set up the theme of choices: Jack chose to blow up the Island, Ben chose to kill Jacob, and Juliet chose to detonate Jughead. The first episode of season six reveals the consequences: Jacob really dies, Juliet really dies, and the Island may or may not have died as well.

In the first two hours of the premiere, pivotal choices are also made on and off the Island. On the Island in 2007, Hurley chooses to bring Sayid to the Temple, Miles chooses to communicate Juliet’s message, Jack chooses to allow the Temple-tons to “heal” Sayid despite the unknown risks (which he chooses not to ask about), and Sawyer chooses not to kill Jack after all. Off the Island in 2004, in the alternate universe of L.A., Kate chooses to run from the U.S. Marshall, Sawyer chooses to let Kate escape, Sun chooses to not understand English, and Jack chooses to give his business card to Locke.

Even when Ben accuses the Man in Black of manipulating him into killing Jacob, the Man in Black responds: “I didn’t make you do anything.” Sure, the Man in Black did prey on Ben’s insecurities, but ultimately Ben had the free will to make a choice. Jacob himself told Ben, right before death, “You have a choice.” And it’s the choice, the ability to change one’s course and destiny, that will define and resolve everything this year.

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