[smugly]I also called the “this is a flash-forward, not a flashback” from the start. Something about the combo of a bearded Jack, on an Oceanic flight, drinking a lot and reacting strongly to turbulence…he just looked like “Formerly castaway guy who’s now been rescued but is having a personal crisis”.[/smugly]
Although, I admit I doubted my hypothesis a few times as the show went on, especially when Jack’s father was mentioned. I thought that when he pulled out the prescription in his father’s name, that it might be an old pre-crash, pre-rescue one, or a faked prescription–he didn’t exactly press things when they offered to call his dad’s office, which I took to mean “Aha! Because his dad’s been dead for two years (or whatever); he died before the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 and the subsequent dramatic rescue of the survivors!”
But the present-tense mention of his dad being drunker than him…that was distinctly odd, and I don’t know what to make of it.
[QUOTE=Rubystreak]
I want to know WHY Jack is filled with remorse about his decision.
[/quote]
I think that’s still very much open. On the one hand, it could mean “Ben was right! Leaving the island was a terrible mistake because of…AARGH!” :slumps over dead with one of Locke’s knives in his back:
Or, to get off the island, they had to Do Terrible Things; or he’s broken up about the ones who didn’t make it.
Or…It could be an entirely personal issue with Jack. On the island, he was somebody, he was The Leader, saving everyone; afterwards, he’s just a washed-up surgeon, addicted to painkillers. And he doesn’t seem to have hooked up with any of the assorted hot women from the island, either.
I suppose that “Why is/will be Future Jack so unhappy?” is the Great Question the remaining seasons will be dealing with.