On Lost: "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham"
Who has just moved up to the number one spot on the all-time "Most Evil T.V. Bad Guys" list? Ben. Just when we felt like we could trust him and actually feel for him, he goes and stabs (strangles) the back of John Locke. Now I have personally met and talked to Michael Emerson on many occasions and I will say he is one of the nicest, most gracious, and funniest people I have ever met. But I seriously think I hate Benjamin Linus. If he actually succeeded in killing Penny, I may have to kill him myself. Especially since John Locke easily believes that conniver every time.
Anyone that knows me knows that I love John Locke. I am a John Locke fan and his character is what drew me into the show. I think the wheelchair scene in "Walkabout" was most people's "I love this show" moment. Not only was that the moment that got me hooked, it was the moment that made Locke the character I felt for most. It made me want to root for him the most. Even Locke's musical themes are my favorites in the show. He is my lost-away soulmate. That being said, Locke needs to seriously wise up. I swear he better kick some serious Ben butt next week and in the weeks to come. I mean how many times do you need to be killed by someone? Fool you once shame on you (being shot in the gut in "Man Behind the Curtain") but fool you twice shame on you, Mr. Locke. Enact some bald man vengeance on Ben please. I won't hold it against you, I promise.
On a lighter note, I want Walt back on the Island. I think this episode proves that he needs to be there. He is having premonition dreams and still has a lot of unresolved issues. I think that the age/appearance issue has been solved since he is three years older and I think it would be great to have him back. I, for one, was very upset they ended Michael's life so quickly last season - especially because the producers/writers didn't resolve the story of Michael and Walt. If the writers could bring Walt back, I could forgive the powers-that-be for ending Michael's run.
Easter Eggs, and other notes:
- Rousseau, and Faraday's Notes: Remember when new character Caesar the Eavesdropper was rummaging through notes and stuff at the beginning of the episode? Well there happened to be some of Rousseau's maps, and Daniel Faraday's notes on time travel from his famous notebook. Now this means that Daniel - who we have seen in the past - left his notes there. Or that is where he got the notes? Argh my head hurts.
- The Hydra Island: This episode showed there actually was an Aljira Airways Flight 316 plane crash and that it crashed on the abandoned Hydra Station island. I believe this puts the newest passengers in the present time (2007) while we find out Hurley, Jack, and Kate got transported from the plane to what appears to be 1970's Dharma Island time.
Another great episode of a great season of Lost. What were your thoughts? Did you like or dislike this episode? Let us know in the comments below.
If you crave even more Lost Talk check out my podcast, "The Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack" or on iTunes.
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I need a flowchart to keep all this stuff straight.
i gotta say, this show is getting very difficult to follow. i have given up trying to understand people's motives. i have even given up trying to come up with theories for everything. its not as fun as it used to be. theres way too much going on.
time travel was the beginning of the end for me. i don't understand the time theory that the show subscribes to. according to faraday, you can't change the past because it already happened, unless you're desmond. what? and when they went through that white flash while in that row boat during the storm - they came out the other side with the boat and paddles. huh? i thought it was just them going through time? also, if the boat travelled through time as well. then the boat would no longer be in the previous time from which it came - thus that time would have been "affected" in the way that faraday said was impossible. just saying - time travel is a can of worms, you gotta get all these questions straight before you open it.
time travel aside... that asian dude who can read the minds of dead people? huh?
AND!! the island...i
then there's jacob.... jacob is jack's dad? wtf.
this show is a cluster f***. i love it.
May very well be the best episode of Lost, I've ever seen...Wow
I love LOST..!! I agree that the wheelchair scene in "Walkabout" was the moment that I became hooked, that I started searching the internet for anything about LOST, and it was at this time that I got at least 10 people to start watching the show as well. "Walkabout" and the very creative episode "Numbers" are my two favorites of the entire series. Even though I continue to love LOST and it remains my #1 show, those two episodes, as well as the best season-ending cliffhanger ever, are what makes Season 1 the gold standard for this show. This Season (5) is starting out sooooooo good; my early wish is for Caesar and Sayid to fight together, or fight each other. I had a dream about it, or was it a memory??
There is no justice in the world if Michael Emerson doesn't win an Emmy for his portrayal of Ben Linus; he was absolutely magnificent as he soothed Locke, and then strangled him!
I think that somewhere down the road, we'll find out, as someone else said, that there was a method to Ben's madness, and that in the end, the real villain of the piece is indeed Charles Widmore. After all, he wanted to keep Penelope from being with her true love, Desmond!
Yea, really. At this point, no twist really surprises me.
i love lost, this season is the best so far. daniel faraday is the same name of the first victim of the zodiac killer.
Zodiac killer's first victim - David Farraday.
You just don't get it.
Mission ONE for Ben & everyone (Mrs. Hawking, Ben's 'network', Richard & his troupe on the island) is to prevent Widmore from finding the island.
AT ANY COST!
When Locke mentioned her name, knowing Locke was being watched/tracked by Widmore, he had to ensure Locke didn't lead Widdy to Hawking & The Pendulum. Ben knows Locke will be resurrected, indeed, he & others TOLD him he'd be dying. Then there's the aforementioned angle of Ben taking on the sin of murder to keep Locke free of the sin of suicide.
Who prevented Locke from being embalmed..
Charles Widmore is the other side....he
Poomplet, you make a lot of good points, but I slightly disagree about one thing. If Ben murdered Locke fully expecting to need him back on the island, he wouldn't have simply left his corpse in the hotel room, saying, "I'll miss you, John" as he walked out the door. Something happened between that time and the funeral parlor viewing to convince Ben that he needed Locke -- that's when he stole the body, took it to the butcher's and had it stored in her freezer until the Ajira Airlines flight. Maybe Eloise told him he needed both the Ocean Six, and Locke. Whatever. But I'm convinced that at the point when Ben killed him, it was because he wanted him _dead_.
In regards to Eloise Hawking, I wonder why Mr. Widmore knew her address, since Desmond barged into Widmore's office and wanted Daniel Farradays' mother's address. Am puzzled that Widmore already knew about Hawking and her being in Los Angeles. Did you pick up on that or am I wrong?
One thing I noticed about the new characters is that the lying has already begun: Ceasar hid the fact that he discovered the sawed-off shotgun under the chair. None of the characters will reveal things unless they are absolutely forced.
Phooey, I was disappointed with Ben, he was starting to redeem himself...
The two antagonists are Widmore and Ben. I still think the writers are going to throw in another punch soon and confuse us again by Ben saving the day. I agree with Jay, , John Locke was my favorite too, the glue that kept the island together, had such a harsh life, and was beginning to find his mission in life. This episode is one of the few darker ones......
Funny, how a show tells a story going backwards, instead of forwards. That may start a new trend. Last point, I noticed from the very beginning how the characters are always so vague, they won't reveal any part of their lives with anyone, and when they do, someone has to drag it out of them. It's frustrating to watch, because I'm wishing they would spill their guts once in a while. All that pent up anger is what makes the show I guess.
My only take on why Ben wanted Locke's body "crated" is because he knew they'd have to recreate as many similarities as possible to create the way the Oceanic Six got on the island. And they had Jack's dad "crated" the first time around. Of course i could be wrong. :-)
Did Ben kill Locke because Locke committing suicide would NOT get them back to the island (didn't Michael try suicide to no avail?). The best thing about this show is how well it illustrates that all human beings are capable of good and evil.
Simply the best show on tv.
EVER!
agreed
anyone notice in the last episode when Hurley was in the water that he had a guitar case?
Could that be for Charlie?
I was really hoping that Locke assuming the name Jeremy Bentham had some connection with the Panopticon.
Although, to be quite fair, the auto-icon does in a sense relate, at least when he's dead.
could the connection be both the auto icon and panopticon? I had forgotten about the panopticon but that could make sense too. last week, pennys boyfriend, whatshisname, was lashing out about how they were all pawns in some experiment, not a direct quote but anyway, the panopticon is designed to imprision people and watch the effectively. So maybe there is something there. John Locke=Jeremy Bentham; the island=pan
Dude,
So you think Michael is dead, and gone??
By now, you should know that on this series NO ONE is ever Gone, Departed, Passed On, Shuffled Off this Mortal Coil, Kicked the Bucket or Otherwise Permanently Indisposed. Unless, they get arrested for DUI. And sometimes not even then.
I think the most important thing from this episode is learning that Abbadon worked for Widmore, hinting that Widmore was directly responsible for Locke getting to the island in the first place. Has he been searching foe "the one" to usurp Ben since Ben kicked him off the island?
I really wish we could get a little info on a) why Locke is important, b) what will happen if the O6 don't return, c) what war will happen and what are the sides d) how the O6 were convinced to go back
Other than that, the episode was a lot of things we already knew repackaged
Is anyone keeping a running tally on how many people we have seen Ben kill personally?
See Tallulah Morehead's Profile
Rather a brief recap of a complex, extra-length episode, that left so much undiscussed. What about that great, loaded scene with Widmore? He led the others "peacefully"? Like with flaming arrow attacks, and breaking his fellow-other's necks when they displeased him? He just sent his mercenaries to extract Ben? What about that kill-every
And remember season 3, when Kate & Sawyer were put to work on Hydra Island, BUILDING A RUNWAY!! (which was never finished) Who knew months in advance that Akira 315 would need a landing strip on Hydra Island? Ben? Jacob? And how awesome a pilot is Lapidus, to be able to safely land a jetliner on trees?
Nice recap and all, but inadequate for such a mind-bending episode. A little more depth would be great.
LOST is increasingly magnificent.
Great point about maybe having a bit meatier recap. Oh, and i also had the thought that Helen's tombstone could be a fake. Wouldn't be surprised to see her turn up again alive and kicking.
I kind of rather she didn't...e
It's a tightrope walk the writers of Lost perform...
Helen may show up as some sort of island vision but I think Helen the character is dead
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