Questions must be answered for satisfying 'Lost' finale

We may not have all the answers - precious few, actually - but going into the "Lost" finale, we do know a thing or two.

They're important to remember if we hope to scrape up every last morsel of satisfaction from mysteries solved.

Before "Lost" ends, let's start with a few things we know.

We know that Jack is the new protector of the island; Kate was crossed off the list because she became a mother; and Hurley is relieved he doesn't have Jack's new job.

We know about the skeletons in the cave, the Dharma Initiative and, to some extent, those pesky polar bears.

Producers Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof have explained, sort of, the numbers in relation to the candidates. And that, "Darlton" told media outlets weeks ago, is the last thing they're going to say about 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42.

But there still are too many questions lingering on "Lost." And 2-1/2 hours hardly seems enough time for revelations on six seasons worth of mysteries.

What will we consider a successful finale?

These are the key questions that must be resolved tonight.

Parallel lives: At some point, "island time" and the "sideways universe" will converge. But what's the point of the sideways timeline? Is it a parallel universe born from Jughead's explosion? Or are we getting glimpses into the epilogues of our favorite characters and their happily ever afters?

Roll call: There are still a few major players who've gone MIA. Where's Claire? What happened to Miles? Is the immortal Richard Alpert dead? After he climbed out of the well, where did Desmond go, and what's he going to do? And is Juliet going to show up in the sideways universe and finally have that cup of coffee with Sawyer?

C'mon, is it really just a cork?: We're told the island imprisons evil. We saw that its heart glows with a golden light. But what exactly is the island? A remnant of Atlantis? A lost Egyptian colony? The final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant? At this point, we'll even take a throw-away like, "Well, when the aliens first visited, this is where they landed." OK, maybe not.

Why was the island shown underwater?: In the sideways universe, the island is shown miles underwater. Was it Jughead's explosion that caused the island to sink? Or did the Man in Black fulfill his master plan of destroying the island and escaping from his prison?

Waaaaaaaaalt!: Michael's seemingly psychic son was at the center of the major mysteries in the earlier seasons, causing a war between our castaways and The Others. He hasn't been a part of the mythology for years. Will we find out why he was considered so important?

Problem children: What's the deal with children born (or not born) on the island? What's the importance of Claire's son, Aaron - will he eventually inherit Jack's role as protector? Why can't women conceive on the island? Is it a curse that dates back to when Jacob and the Man in Black were born?

Mommy issues: Children born on the island shouldn't be raised by another, according to the show's mythology. Kate raised Aaron, which apparently made Claire completely flip her matted-blond wig. Ben raised Alex, and you know what that did to Rousseau. The unnamed character played by Allison Janney raised Jacob and his brother. And another is going to raise Sun and Jin's child. What's the connection and how does it fit into the myth of the show?

Ancient ruins: Relics from antiquity are spread out over the Island: the four-toed statue of Tawaret, the temple and the lighthouse. We know the Man in Black built the wheel that teleports the island (how he figured that out was rather poorly explained) - and at least one well close to the golden light - but who built the other wells? Or are those monuments simply there to enhance the show's myth and echo the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, such as the Colossus of Rhodes, the Temple of Solomon and the Lighthouse of Alexandria?

Who made up the rules?: The Man in Black and Jacob can't kill each other? The brothers can't kill any candidates? The Smoke Monster can't leave the island unless all the candidates are dead? And what is the Man in Black's real name - is it just "Brother" (as opposed to Desmond's frequent utterance "brotha")? Who made up these convoluted rules and why?

The ultimate "Lost" couple: The fate of Rose and Bernard is still unclear. Will they live forever? We hope the writers and producers grant us that wish.

Good dog: Will we ever see our beloved golden Labrador, Vincent, again? If we do, that, as Hurley would say, would be awesome.