Last night we finally got to see which side Ben lands on. Throughout the series, Ben has bounced back and forth from being a hero and a villain... I was rooting for him all along, and am glad he's finally been revealed one of the good ones. As for the rumors of his demise from the previews last week; they were greatly exaggerated.In the flash sideways, where Jacob has no control over any one's lives, Ben is leading a very similar existence to the one he has in the real "touched by Jacob" world. He's a powerless man who cares deeply for his surroundings (school / island) and wants to do anything he can to protect it. He eventually gets the opportunity to seize power (blackmailing the principal / killing off Dharma), but at the cost of destroying his daughter-figure's life (keeping Alex out of Yale / Killing Alex). In the world untouched by Jacob, Ben makes the right decision and puts Alex's future over his own Napoleon-like desire for power (Catch the not-so-subtle parallel that Ben was teaching the class about Napoleon?). In the end, Ilana forgives Ben and welcomes him to "team Jacob", otherwise known as "the team that was screwed over by Jacob".
Back on the island, we finally catch up with Richard. He's distraught over Jacob's death and feels cheated and alone. We find out he never ages because of a "gift" of eternal life that Jacob bestowed upon him. The gift comes with a crappy loophole, however - you can die if someone else kills you. I'm assuming this is the same eternal life dilly-o that Jacob had before Ben killed him. This eternal life deal shouldn't be confused with what Michael went through before returning to the island and blowing up the freighter. He couldn't die because the island wasn't "finished" with him yet... That's why Jack believes the dynamite didn't kill him and Richard. After his field trip to the lighthouse, he knows the island needs him, and that he's there for a reason.
I was so happy to see everyone together on their respective teams at the end of this episode. If I had to wait a whole other episode to see Jack and Hurley arrive at the beach I would rip my hair out. The "war" that Widmore told Locke was coming to the island is finally starting to begin. Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Crazy Claire and the remaining others are all on team Smoke Monster. The fightin' Jacobs now include Ilana, Miles, Lapedis, Ben, Sun, Jack, Hurley and Richard... Damn, where's Jin? Last we saw, he was with Claire heading to the temple. Since then, he's been MIA. From what I hear, we've got a few more weeks until this is cleared up.
Some things I took notice of this week:
Big news - the island did exist in the flash sideways. Ben and his father did go there, and somehow left. What happened to the island that sent it miles underwater? Hopefully we'll find out in a couple of weeks with the rumored Richard flashback episode.
The Ben parallels between his life and the flash sideways were great. I especially liked the irony that he killed his father with a gas canister in the real world, but in the flash sideways he's using a gas canister to keep him alive.
Nikki and Paulo were actually on the island for a reason? So Miles could read their thoughts and get their diamonds? It's a stretch, and an obvious attempt to say "see, that storyline wasn't stupid after all". Out of respect for an awesomely written Ben episode last night I'm going to just shut up and give the writers this one.
This really bugged me - so why didn't Ben just tell the principal I want you to resign AND give Alex a great recommendation or else I'm telling everyone you slept with the Nurse. Ben had all the cards in his hand and blew it. I know it was necessary for the story to have Ben choose between Alex and seizing power, but that really bugged me.
Here comes Mr. Widmore on his private submarine (what?). Looks like he's headed to the Hydra to catch up with team smoke monster. How did he find his way to the island? What is his plan? Is he the smoke monster's ticket off the island?
I'm sure I missed a bunch... what do you have?
Maybe this is obvious, but remember when Locke emerged from the leg building and told Richard Alpert "good to see you out of those chains"? Then, last night when Alpert went to the Black Rock, he was playing with those shackles. Does that mean that he came to the island on that ship that Jacob & the Smoke Monster saw off the island?
ReplyDeleteI also understand how you feel about Linus. You want to dislike him because he's the 'bad guy' but it's so hard to root against a guy that fate has crapped on. I felt so bad for him when he was standing in the jungle, totally dejected, telling Ilana that he was going to join up with the smoke monster because no one else would take him.
Thanks again for your insights Boris.
Widmore appears to be on "Team Jacob" as in the Lighthouse episode Jacob explains to Hurley that a visitor is coming to the island. Jacob is obviously aware of it and doesn't appear concerned as if it were a foe. Widmore's intentions have always been in question throughout the series as well but maybe he has been on "Team Jacob" all along.
ReplyDeleteI think the principal-Ben relationship could be a mirror of the Widmore-Ben relationship. We know that Widmore was kicked out of his leadership role when it was found out he was having an affair and had a kid off the island and he was replaced by Ben after that.
ReplyDeleteGood catch with the Widmore / Principal parallel - I like it.
ReplyDeleteWe usually assume that if someone says they want to kill you, that is a bad thing for the recipient. What if Jacob was really going through something similar to what Richard explained to Jack. "Locke" had told Jacob, he'd find a loophole since it was "against the rules" for him to kill Jacob. Otherwise, he, (Jacob) would be doomed to continue on the island forever.
ReplyDeleteWait - what happened to that little blond kid? And yeah, I thought the same thing - let the principal write the letter....then blackmail him! Dur. But then we wouldn't pity Ben as much. Just when you think you hate him, bam, you wanna give him a huggy.
ReplyDeleteSo is the Dharma thing irrelevant now? How did they come to be on the island? Did they accidentally land there first and then realize the island's mystical properties or did they know about them from someone else and then try to harness the power? And if the island is so elusive, how did they manage to import people with the submarine all the time?
And where/how does the young Widmore and Dharma timeline connect?
Sideways Ben got exactly what he wanted. He's calling the shots (Super recommendation for Alex, History Club) without being the actual leader- just like how ben was on the island. Calling the shots, but Jacob was the leader.
ReplyDeleteWhen Richard tells Jack that Jacob had 'touched' him, was he being figurative, or literal? They made a point of showig Jacob touching all the candidates in the last episode (or was it the one before?) so perhaps it was a literal meaning, and now the candidates can only die if they are killed...
Again- I'm seeing a God/Devil paralell with Jacob and Locke. People follow Locke because of fear, promises, or desperation, while people follow Jacob out of faith, and have to endure suffering the whole time. When they are truly at rock bottom, and have nothing left, and are repentant, they are welcomed back by Jacob (and/or his people).
I've always liked Ben, and have felt sorry for him. When he told Iliana that he was going to Locke, wow- it was awful. He is truly broken.
Also- just an add-on... Locke is clearly telling people what they want to hear to get them to join. He told Sawyer that the island was just an island and didn't need protecting. Lock then told Ben that someone would need to protect the island when he left.
ReplyDeleteGoing back a few episodes - has it dawned on anyone that Locke was already the smoke monster when Ben said he needed to go to the monster so it could judge him??? Which means, that his "daughter" telling him to listen t EVERYTHING that locke says was really Locke manipulating the situation.... just a thought. I want more lost!!!!
ReplyDelete