A Timeline of the ‘Lost’ Universe

"Lost," which began its final season on Feb. 2, isn't just about plane crashes, polar bears, magical numbers and mysterious black smoke. It's also about choosing whether to surrender to destiny or to determine your own fate. To keep track of which side (i.e. Jack or Locke) is winning, you need to see the results of their choices; hence the show, and some of its characters, have been hopping around in time for several seasons. Because this can get awfully confusing — did Desmond meet Faraday before or after Ben wiped out the Dharma Initiative? — we've arranged some major events of the show's first five seasons in chronological order. — MIKE HALE