They're handing out answers in little candy form, but they're answers that we already know (it's like they're completely sold on the idea of "new watchers"). Oh, look at that, Nemesis admits that he's the smoke Monster, oh shocking revelation! Yes, ever episode this season has been LOADED with facts that answer stuff (Richard was on the Black Rock, etc) they've all been insignificant things that the fanbase has long ago figured out.
The story is ending poorly, but the first half of Season 5 was like that as well (oh, people walking around until their eyes bleed from wild and wacky time jumps, blah blah blah) but it recovered and hammered away in the last half. Hopefully it does the same here, because they are answering the WRONG questions.
As for the "alternate" timeline, I disagree with the general consensus that it must "merge" with the the Island timeline. We have seen basically individual characters redefined in the alt timeline, but after their episode, we don't really see them again. I think that it's an independent study of the characters, and will remain so through the end. Where seeing "variations of a theme" of our characters...watching them discover/develop different sides of their psyche that exists (we've seen hints over 5 seasons), but wasn't in the forefront of their characterization.
We're also seeing the idea (not original, for sure) that even though the total Life Path that we take through spacetime is undefined (changes based on our decisions), there are certain "beacons" that each of us must cross. Those beacons are people, places, things, events...
For example, each character is traveling a significantly different path through spacetime in this alt timeline, but they still were on 815, they still keep bumping into each other, there are specific beacons along their lifepath that have not changed. so, the alt timeline and the Island timeline, though twisting through spacetime along different paths, keep crossing at the beacons.
Beyond that little study of the complexity of human personalities, and a bit of commenting on "free will in one's life", I don't think the alt timeline means anything.
Of course, I didn't think we'd ever see the 4 toed statue again, that it was just a "weird thing" the writers tossed in to make people talk...but that was before, ya know, it became something integral to the story. I'm this/close to perfect, but even i make mistakes. Rarely.
