"What goes around comes around."

Truer words were never spoken when looking at the concept of karma. Do our past actions affect our future? Does good bring good and ill bring ill? How important are fate and free will in determining the paths of our lives? Are our lives, like a record, spinning around and around, repeating the same patterns again and again?

It's these metaphysical questions (and a host of others) that have been explored over the course of the last four seasons of ABC's Lost. I had the chance yesterday to watch the brilliant and provocative first two episodes of Season Five of Lost ("Because You Left" and "The Lie"), which kicks off on January 21st, and naturally fell under the series' deft spell.

While I'm prohibited by the network from revealing major plot points about the first two installments of Lost, I can offer some rather oblique clues about what to expect and discuss some general points from these early Season Five episodes.

So, put on your Dharma jumpsuit, and let's discuss Season Five of Lost.

First, I have to commend Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse for once again exploding the narrative framework of this series. Much as Season Four forever altered the way that stories on Lost were told--with flash-forwards rather than flashbacks--so too does Season Five tweak some familiar tropes, offering a very different narrative style than we've seen so far. (Though fret not, those flashbacks are still there, in some small part.)

This season, the mission has changed dramatically: our beloved castaways are no longer attempting to get off of the island, but rather, they're trying to get back. And to do so, they'll have to work with the one man that they've all battled against for so long: Benjamin Linus. Ben's overarching mission comprises a large part of these early episodes and his drive to return to that place splinters the already fractious relationships among the Oceanic Six, causing some new alliances to form and some old grudges to resurface. Without revealing too much, I'll say that these Oceanic Six aren't quite a united front as they seemed from that press conference.

The strain of keeping the true circumstances surrounding the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 a secret are weighing very heavily on the consciences of each of the six and, as we saw from Season Four, cracks are beginning to form in the carefully constructed cover story.

Someone knows that Kate isn't Aaron's birth mother and they clearly want Kate to know this information... as evidenced by her surprise visitors in the form of lawyers from the firm of Agostini & Norton, who turn up with a court order to take a blood sample from Kate. But if someone knows the truth about Aaron's parentage, why not go to the media and publicly reveal the truth about Kate and the others? And just who is their mysterious client? Hmmm...

The consequences of that fateful meeting between Sun and Charles Widmore, glimpsed in the Season Four finale, becoming shockingly clear and the full weight of Sun's words is discussed with a surprising candor. Desmond and Penny are shaken from their romantic travels by an unexpected message. Elsewhere, Sayid and Hurley must both make some difficult decisions when faced with attacks from all quarters... and Sayid makes good use of a dishwasher.

Meanwhile, I can't shake the feeling that the Oceanic Six are nothing more but pawns in the ongoing war between Charles Widmore and Ben. But there are other mysterious operatives working in the shadows as well; whether these people are friends or foes to the Six remains to be seen.

However, expect to see some familiar faces return as the writers answer some provocative questions about the history of the Dharma Initiative, just what Ben did turning that ancient wheel beneath the Orchid Station, and, yes, why Locke died. Along the way, there's a slew of new mysteries involving compasses, blood, fire, hands, pendulums, archaic computers, and event windows.

(Yes, it's bloody hard not spilling the beans about just what happens in these two fantastic installments.)

What else can you expect? Look for an intriguing plot twist with Charlotte, keep your eye on the night sky, and pay special attention to Daniel Faraday's journal, which seems to hold answers to every single question that the remaining castaways need answered. And, oh, Bernard and Rose squabble and cuddle, but that's hardly news, now is it?

Suffice it to say, the opening installments of Season Five of Lost do not disappoint on any level, once again offering a tantalizing trip down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass. With an end date clearly in their sights, Lindelof and Cuse have ramped up the tension, pacing, and action as we begin our journey towards The End. It's with great excitement (and a little bit of sadness) that we set off on the penultimate chapter in this gripping saga. And these first two superlative episodes only herald at even greater revelations to come in the days ahead.

Season Five of Lost premieres with a special three-hour launch on January 21st at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC. For a look at the third episode of Season Five, click here.