I thought Tina Fey (Zoe's) surprise exchange in Flocke's jungle camp senseless. You don't go into camp against a smoke monster who cannot be killed by conventional weapons. The ultimatum from Widmore to give back (Desmond) what Flocke took was at best a hollow threat.
Then, upon further reflection, I think it was not an ultimatum. It was a message that Widmore was ready to proceed with the end game. Widmore and Flocke are not the combatants, but more like allies. And when I mean end game, the final "home" points of a backgammon board, which each player trying to win by "taking pieces off" the board. Widmore's beach rocket launch wiped out a handful of red shirt Others. I think Tina and her boys are next. Then it just whittles down to our characters killing each other off.
The whole purpose of backgammon is to move your pieces from your enemies territory, safely around the board, to your "home" and then roll the dice and eliminate as quickly as possible your own pieces in order to declare victory. Locke explained the principles to Walt in Season 1, saying it was an ancient game, with black and white pieces (which we believe now represent good and evil). But in all things LOST, black and white could just mean gray.
If you land (or "claim") an unprotected opponent's piece, you can send that piece to the rail so it has to go back to the beginning to take the long, dangerous journey home. Flocke "claimed" Jack at the end of the episode, and Jack is literally back to square one on any attempt of getting off the island.
However, none of this metaphorical movement of characters (pieces) explains the incongruity of the sideways story arc.
