WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE LATEST EPISODE OF LOST.
After the jump: Mini-recap, questions, theories, and predictions!
On this week’s Lost, in Sideways World, we get the impression that Dr. Benjamin Linus is a lonely guy who takes care of his elderly father (ROGER!!!) and despite being a smartypants, he is forced to neglect his precious History Club to cover detention because his boss, Principal Butthead, doesn’t like him very much. So Ben decides maybe HE should be principal instead! And it turns out that Alex is conveniently one of his students! And she is in this now defunct History Club! And she wants to go to Yale! And she tells Ben that Principal Butthead is having relations with the school nurse! Something that the always-manipulative-no-matter-the-dimension Ben uses to try and blackmail the guy out of his job! But when confronted with this blackmail, the principal says if Ben goes through with it, he’s not going to write Alex’s letter of recommendation to Yale! So of course, since this is the Sideways World, Alex > Ben’s own happiness, and she gets her recommendation and all’s well that ends well, except Ben is right back where he started.
On the island, Miles tells Ilana that Ben’s the one that killed Jacob, and it turns out that Ilana thought of Jacob as a father, so BIG SURPRISE there are more daddy issues! So then she ties Ben up, tells him to dig his own grave, and is ready to shoot him! But then Smokey shows up and tells Ben that he’s about to roll, but he’ll let Ben have the island if he can beat Ilana to some tree somewhere! So Ben bolts in a comedic fashion, and he gets there first with Ilana at his heels, and the two of them have a heart to heart in which Ben basically tells her how shitty his whole life has been, and how it’s all Jacob’s fault, etc etc and Ilana forgives him and they go and have a nice little musical montage with the rest of the Losties. We also found out that Richard can’t kill himself (thanks to Jacob) and he tried to get Jack to kill him as a favor! But when Jack lit the TNT’s fuse, nothing happened! Because he’s all special and stuff. Which he knows thanks to that whole Lighthouse fiasco. Then he cried and breathed heavily through his nose.
Questions:
1. Richard said that once Jacob touches you, you can’t kill yourself. So now we know why Michael and Locke had such a hard time of it! But Richard also implied that he hasn’t AGED because Jacob touched him as well – does this mean the 6 Candidates are also not going to age? But Sawyer and Kate were touched as kids, so they’ve obviously aged – maybe Jacob gives each person a different “gift?”
2. Who else thinks Widmore is going to join Team Smokey??
3. In the Sideways World, Roger told us that they had gone to the island! What was that all about!??!!? How long did they stay, and why did they leave?
4. Who ever thought that Jack would really become the ultimate Man of Faith and attempt to blow himself up? (Although if Jacob’s touch means they can’t kill themselves, that fuse went out because technically Jack was trying to kill himself, right?) And of course we got some Jears. ;_;
5. Ilana said Jacob was the closest thing to a father she had – more daddy issues! I only wish I was surprised! What was her relationship to him?? Was it a big shock that she actually forgave Ben for killing Jacob?
6. Now that we’ve seen the kind of havoc Jacob has caused in people’s lives, can we really think of him as a “good” guy? Isn’t it interesting that for a show that’s always had this strong theme of black and white that now that we’re finally getting to the ultimate battle royale that both sides are a little…gray? Jacob’s more evil than we figured and Smokey has some really good points!
Of course at this point it’s pretty clear that Jacob is a God figure and Smokey is the Satan figure – Smokey being held prisoner by Jacob’s wrath and all that. Jacob setting people down a path and Smokey tempting them with the fru-its of the dev-eel and whatnot. If we weren’t so close to the end of the series I’d be theorizing the hell (no pun intended) out of all of this, but at this point I’m happy to just let it roll. I think I’ll wait until it’s all over and done before I write my gigantic “This Is What Lost Means” thesis.
7. Last season when Ben was revived in the temple, Richard said he’d never be the same again, he’d be “changed.” Is the selflessness we saw in Sideways Ben (with Alex and his father) what little Ben lost in that temple?
8. Ilana said there were six candidates left. According to the cave, the 6 names listed were Jarrah, Shephard, Ford, Kwon, Reyes, and Locke. Does this mean that both Sun AND Jin are candidates? And even if you count them separately (and discount Sayid) that still only leaves you with five, right?
9. Smokey asked Ben to take over, and yet he’s the one who said the island doesn’t need protecting. What’s up with that?
Thoughts:
– Alex!!! So good to see her! Who knew she’d be so nerdy?
– And Arzt, hating everyone and everything! As per usual!
– Was that the Black Rock in the History text book Ben was helping Alex study with?
– I loved the thing about Nikki and Paulo and Miles with the diamonds. Awesome.
– Every episode should end with Hurley Hugs and musical montages. Just saying.
Such a great episode. So many funny lines. Cyborg? Vampire? Sweater vest? Banana leaf checks? LOL!
(For the record I want to see Vampire!Richard show up on True Blood this year. Guh.)
I’m sure I’ll be adding more tomorrow once I’ve read all your very astute comments :D
That was the greatest episode ever. Loved every bit of it.
So great to see Sideways Ben and his sacrifice for Alex.
I was worried Ben would die the entire episode, when he lowered that shotgun I held my breath hoping Illana wouldn’t grab her rifle and shoot him.
Ben used gas to keep his father living rather than kill him! Loved that.
It’s great to see redemption in Ben, except it’s looking kinda stacked against Jacob’s group. Now Widmore is here and it’s obvious if he sent Locke to the island to join the “right side”, he sent him to join Smokey’s side. Hopefully Illana and Richard have alot to contribute the the group. Finally the makings of a showdown are all in order.
I assumed she was counting Wallace was one of the six left.
But Wallace was crossed out. I think that was a number Jacob made up to get Hurley to go to the lighthouse!
@John I agree, I love the gas keeping the father alive!! I didn’t think Ben would really die, he is too awesome to kill off. But it did have me worried when he lowered the gun!
Also, seeing Ben’s shovel flying through the air after Smokey left was freaking hysterical. Such a cartoon moment.
LOVED this episode.
It’s so interesting how this season reminds me of season 1.
I mean the musical montage was epic.
THIS EPISODE WAS, IN A WORD, BEAUTIFUL.
I assumed she was counting Kate. Remember, she was at the Lighthouse? With Locke dead, it’s Sawyer, Hurley, Sayid (who she doesn’t know anything happened to), Jack, Sun/Jin, and Kate. That’s six.
this was a GREAT episode
-Richard is hot enough to be a vampire, though vamps haven’t gotten all sexy/popular yet
-i was so nervous that side ben would turn on Alex, but he supported her, and he’s on his way to becoming a serial killer– doesn’t feel he gets what’s due
-he still has some power over the principal, not entirely where he started, he can hold that info over him even though it’s not entirely legal….
-why did Ilana forgive Ben so suddenly?
-OMG THE SUBMARINE!!! seeing the periscope pop out of the water was hilarious, so does that mean Des and Pen are shortly behind???
-JAck left things to FATE!!!
-interesting that they might all be immortal
– Richard said he hadn’t been on the black rock in awhile??? support the “nice to see you out of chains thing?”
– is sideways rousseau still crazy and french? where did she have her baby? did she never crash?
-because people still went to the island, maybe there was a panicked evacuation when the dharma crashed, b/c baby ben obvi didn’t die on the island.
-i miss sawyer
-i think widmore is team widmore, i have no idea what he’s going to do
so WHO is the ultimate threat/bad guy? it was bens group, which weren’t so bad, and widmore who is still pretty bad, and smokey who only seems partially bad, and jacob who is supposed to be good but seems kinda bad or at least difficult
and will daniel’s mum show up??? you’d think she’d be interested, show down with widmore?
not enough time left!!!
but the two big themes i’m seeing
is there ever a good side? have you noticed everyone thinks they’re the good guys and everyone else is the bad guys? but no one really seems to be doing good or bad? how evil is smokey? he kills people, but so does EVERYONE else???
and
if you could change your past, would you? would you risk being where you are now to change something in the past? how do you know life would be better/worse? would you risk it???
Haha yeah, definietly need a screencap of that shovel.
I think Ben finally realizes he needs to start being a decent person. When he offered to help Sun, the expression on his face showed that he knew he needed to become a new person.
#9 – Regardless of whether or not Smokey was telling the truth about the island not needing protection, his MO seems to be to offer potential recruits whatever he thinks they most desire. So it’s not surprising he’d offer control of the island to Ben. He just didn’t count on Ben having an epiphany, I guess. :)
You’re right, Smokey totally contradicted himself about whether or not the island needs protecting. My guess is that he just told Ben that to get him on his side, we already know how manipulative he is since he manipulated Ben in to killing Jacob at the end of season five. That was a fantastic episode!
It was cool to see widmore again. My god, things are getting epic.
Alex is still Alex Rousseau which means that Danielle still had her, with that guy on her team? But if they never went to the island, there would be no team… I think I’m a little off track with this.
Anyhoo, my favorite line was Ben, half-sobbing, in response to why he’s going with Smokey:
“Because no one else will have me.”
*Jears*
@Cara I thought Kate was crossed out…? Maybe not? I can’t keep track anymore.
And Ilana knows that Sayid killed Dogen and Lennon so I was thinking she counted him out haha. No zombies allowed.
I agree with Teresa, a key theme for Ben was power, Sideways-world it was the Principal job, Island-world it was leadership and control. Smokey offering that makes sense even if the island doesn’t need protection according to him.
@Teleholic – Danielle’s boyfriend was Robert before they went off on their adventure together, so it would make sense for her to still be pregnant!
Or maybe they went on the exploration thing and came back safe and sound!
The sixth is stqrum he was on lighthouse we didn’t see him get touched though but he was on the island when he was a baby
I mean miles
Great episode, though i found it a bit crammed with information. At times felt like a season premiere, like opening many possible paths. But, without a doubt, the best was Ben´s speech at the end. “I can´t forgive myself” just sums up Ben´s spirit since Shape of things to come. Michael Emerson definitely needed an episode like this where he could shine.
I kinda like (forgive me, Ack!) crazy-daredevil Jack! “Yeah, LET´S BLOW UP TOGETHER, HERMANO RICARDO!” I was actually a bit afraid Richard would go to Flocke´s side. Not very sure he won´t still do it. It seems like everyone´s a bit enraged by Jacob´s actions. A little Old Testament for these modern times!
And, Ack, totally agree with you on observation number 9: isn´t Flocke absolutely contradicting himself? Wasn´t the island just an island? Why would anybody need to stay?
Lost, again, i love you, but you´re just making my head hurt a little too much!
@KIMMERZ, I think everyone is good and bad. There is no good side, no bad side. They’re all human, dark and light mix and thats what makes us. It’s just two conflicting opinions on fate and free will that has Jacob and Smokey against each other. The story of humanity is two conflicting opinions causing death. The finale of Lost is really going to have one hell of a message to it.
Why didn’t Sideways-Ben just tell the principal: “Oh, OK, I want your job AND you have to write a recommendation for Alex or I’ll tell your wife.” ??
Did you notice that Alex had the Confederate flag on her backpack?
Why did Ben dig such a perfect rectangle for his grave?
Something tells me that submarine is NOT PENNY’S BOAT
Long time reader, first time poster. This is for real, even though most of the time when I read that on a blog I don’t believe it *g*. I love your recaps as well as the Benry Knows Best pieces. Too funny. I know that blogs are a lot of work, and you do a phenomenal job of writing with humor and keeping the ideas fresh. Thank you!
Question 1 (aging) – I think maybe that Jacob’s “gift” to each person he touches might be different. He touched Sawyer and Kate as small children and they have definitely aged!
Question 3 (Linus on the island in adjusted timeline) – if we can presume that the detonation on the island in 1977 somehow adjusted the timeline, it would have done so from that point forward. Since Ben and Roger were ON the island in 1977, that would remain the same. So in theory, Sayid still shot Ben; Ben was still taken to the temple and “cured” by Alpert; there is a detonation; and at some point thereafter Roger and Ben left the island.
: ) P
I am falling in love with Benry.
btw, regarding Roger´s comment about the island, can we assume that, in this timeline, there (possibly) being no time-traveling losties detonating jughead, the drilling of the swan site energy pocket caused the island to sink?
Miles: Look at your candidate, now look at me; the beach is now Diamonds!
I never thought Jacob was a good guy anyway. But a few weeks back when Smocke showed Sawyer the cave and explained that Jacob was bringing everyone there as his replacement, it was a given that he didn’t give a crap about what they wanted or if they died on the island so he could weed out whoever wasn’t suitable. Richard and Ben “losing faith” in him doesn’t necessarily confirm it. But at the very least they acknowledged that they were pawns in the game. Jacob and MIB are the island version of God and the devil. YUCK. I hate even saying that but anyway, God doesn’t give a rat’s ass if you like his plan you’re going to have to go along with it. Satan wants to be your pal and let you in on it because he hates being a slave so he tells you the truth but he’s a pawn in the game too. He just keeps trying not to be. So more than likely Jacob will come out on top even if he is a douche.
Um, I think it’s “Bears” not “Jears” and it made ME cry. I am on the best episode since LAX bandwagon. I’ve watched it twice. Interesting to see the Chaim Potok book The Chosen again, under the boom-boom mag. Lot’s of the letter B on the mag, interesting. Notice it was LOCKE who suggested Ben become the principal? And Alex, in her way, egging him (nod to Keamy) on because of the much needed letter? Both representatives of Smokey, hmm. Isn’t Miles the little opportunist? And true to his character. I’m not sure if the Jacob touch means longevity for the crew, perhaps it renders them unable to kill themselves, but do they all get different gifts? AND, I think Locke was DEAD when Jacob touched him and THAT WAS THE LOOPHOLE that MIB was looking for. I think he broke the rules. That’s all–looking forward to the re-cap. Oh, wait, some SUPERB lines tonight–“Wanna try another stick?” — Jack. and “If you change your mind I’ll be waiting about a mile away.”-Hurley.
LostTeaParty
You are from Pop Candy just like me!
Kimmerz- *interesting that they might all be immortal*
This made me think about Sun and Claire. Maybe THAT is why they didn’t die before/after having their babies. Wasn’t the name Littleton in the cave? Which makes me think that Kwon is Sun.
Benry made me cry! I was on the edge of my couch when he was in that office fumbling around with the nameplate thinking maybe he really did sacrifice Alex for himself again, but I was absolutely suprised. And then pissed off that the principal dude (NOT your “pal” in this case) would do that to a helpless girl. Just throw her in the middle like that. And “Because no one else will have me”… wow. When Ilana walks away I thought he looked like a lost little boy… a little boy who had no direction and had to take care of himself. It was so sad!
Incredible episode. And I’m really pleased they started to explain Alpert a little. The Black Rock! Who would have thought!
@baconpie: Why did Ben dig such a perfect rectangle for his grave?
This made me actually LOL thank you hahaha!
@PJSander
He touched Sawyer and Kate as small children and they have definitely aged!
HAHAHA oh my god this shows you how hectic things are when I write these posts – I didn’t even think of that!!
I’m still pretty drunk but I’m going to try and write some stuff. This episode was freaking awesome, Ben episodes never dissapoint.
I don’t think Jacob’s touch makes you ageless, he touched Kate and Sawyer when they were kids and they aged. Maybe it prolongs your life though? I don’t fucking know. I’ll comment more when I’m not full of alcohol
@Baconpie
Yes! Hi :) I noticed your name here too just now, we are blogging in stereo!
Ack, I have high expectations for how you might work William Atherton’s iconic roles into your recap this week.
I’ve been musing over the nature of the Sideways world lately. Initially I assumed it depicted the world in which the atom bomb blew up in 1977. Then I thought it depicted the new lives the Losties will experience when they are reincarnated (remember the Canton-Rainier anagram?) after all is said and done in the main storyline. Now I’ve ruled out option 1 because Ben would have been killed when Jughead blew. Roger MIGHT have evacuated after he shot Sayid (though I doubt it since his kid was missing) but Ben was at the Temple. Also, given Sideways Roger’s reminiscences in “Dr. Linus” it seems unlikely that he remembers Ben being shot, the gunfight at the Dharma Corral, etc. etc.
@Antoinette God doesn’t give a rat’s ass if you like his plan you’re going to have to go along with it. Satan wants to be your pal and let you in on it because he hates being a slave so he tells you the truth but he’s a pawn in the game too. He just keeps trying not to be. So more than likely Jacob will come out on top even if he is a douche.
I think you are correct, although I am hoping the Lost writers stick to the whole metaphorical thing and don’t go hardcore religious on us haha.
Also, I believe you meant “he’s a PWN in the game” ;D
If 815 never crashed then Sayid would never go back to the past and shoot Ben, so Ben and Roger would have been evacuated when the electromagnetic energy started going haywire.
@LostTeaParty HA! Priceless. Did you know that I’m riding this polar bear backwards?
First off, I just wanna say that I SO called Alex & Artz being at the school the moment we saw Locke as a substitute =)
And secondly, your recap had betterhave the Audience going “BLOW UP! BLOW UP!” when Jack & Richard are in the Black Rock with the dynamite (Despite that I was going “NO! DON’T KILL RICHARD! the whole time =P).
During the scene with Ben & Leslie, one of the people I was watching with commented on how weird it was to see all the melodrama associated with Big Important Island Things translated to the context of high school office politics. lol
I’ll probably answer the questions later (meaning tomorrow after all my lovely classes), but its midterms week here, so I should probably try to study/sleep now.
1. My question, also.
2. Widmore’s the one Jacob was expecting. Widmore’s on a mission of his own, obviously, but it’ll go all pear-shaped because it apparently involves inadvertently harming so many candidates. He’ll join Team Jacob.
3. My theory has been that Sideways World started when Jughead went off in 1977. Also, that the island didn’t immediately sink due to the explosion; they had a little time to get people onto the sub. Women & children first, but since Ben’s only got Roger, he got on a sub.
4. This isn’t so out-of-character for Jack lately. Ever since his refusal to operate on young Ben, he’s been forcing destiny’s hand. Faraday, you think touching off an atom bomb will help? Okay, let’s do it & see what happens. Richard, you want to blow up real good? Okay, let’s see what happens.
5. You know what good writing/acting/directing is? It’s when you take a manipulative, evil, conniving, meglomaniacal character like Ben and makes us feel miserable for him. After that speech/performance? No, I’m not surprised Ilana forgave him.
6. My Facebook status as of 10:01 EST: “At this rate, Lindelof is going to have to pull something pretty colossal from his @ss to make me believe Jacob wasn’t a complete d!ck.”
7. No. If my theory holds true–that Sideways World exists after Jughead’s explosion–Ben would still be “changed”. However, on the island, Ben was always Jacob’s mouthpiece via Richard. Ben himself has never had any real power, just the illusion of it. As long as he could invoke Jacob’s name, people would follow him, so he used that to his advantage.
In Sideways World, he has the seed of that power but nothing to guide him on how to wield it properly. That’s why Principal Dickless was able to get one over on him.
8. My theory is that the 6 are the Oceanic 6. This show has been all about numbers and I refuse to believe they’d abandon this now. There’s still 10 more hours of Lost before it ends–anything can happen. But I still think the 6 she referenced are the Oceanic 6.
BTW:
9. Smokey is a manipulative genius. He’ll of course tell everyone he needs what they want to know. Sawyer doesn’t care about the island, so tell him that it doesn’t need protection. Ben believes, has dedicated his life to, the island, so Smokey tells him he’ll be the one in charge. Manipulation 101. Kid stuff, really.
@Eggplant Girl:
Ack, I have high expectations for how you might work William Atherton’s iconic roles into your recap this week.
LOL I am already trying to decide between Ghostbusters and Die Hard, but I may just go nuts and use them ALL.
@PJSander
He touched Sawyer and Kate as small children and they have definitely aged!
But then again… maybe since they can’t ‘kill themselves’, they can actually still age to a certain point… just not keep aging until death…
@LithiumRox And secondly, your recap had betterhave the Audience going “BLOW UP! BLOW UP!†when Jack & Richard are in the Black Rock with the dynamite (Despite that I was going “NO! DON’T KILL RICHARD! the whole time =P).
Um yeah I love Richard and all, but I was willing to sacrifice his luscious lashes for Jack blowing up in that scene LOL. Even though we all know Jack’s never going to die. Personally I would love him off the show, but my recaps would go straight down the crapper, I’d have nothing to talk about haha!
@NJValkyrie: I agree with you on just about all of this!!
Also: WOO NJ!!!!!! Where are you from?? Up North or the Dirty South?
oh, and btw… I gotta shout out to your Benry Knows Best comics… they’re great… I’ve been loving them for the past few weeks (or a month) since I found this site…
@W If 815 never crashed then Sayid would never go back to the past and shoot Ben, so Ben and Roger would have been evacuated when the electromagnetic energy started going haywire.
It’s statements like these that make me so happy the time travel season is over LOL *brains leak out of ears*
I mean I get it, but having to constantly explain it to people who don’t get it almost killed me last year!!
@ LithiumRox
@LostTeaParty HA! Priceless. Did you know that I’m riding this polar bear backwards?
LOL, excellent addition & I love your LJ posts!
Both the Principal and Roger Linus were in REAL GENIUS. I still think of Gries as Lazlo. :)
Well, I´m going on a limb here and say that maybe Jacob wants to make everyone think he´s in total control of what´s going on. And maybe he really, absolutely makes people go to the island, no matter what you do. But what if the touch is like an “if” clause: “if you go to the island, you´ll be protected from almost absolute certain death”. i mean, i know by now most of us think that it´s all part of jacob´s plan, but what if there really is a reasonable level of free will on the actions of everyone involved, and his touch is sort of a powerup in case you decide to go to the island? maybe we think everything´s already been laid out, but what if it really isn´t? It would be in total agreement with the nature of backgammon: a part randomness, a part strategy.
Though: Jacob only gave the old school crew gifts, never touched them… he did touch Ilana’s face when she was in bandages. I’m thinking Richard was a slave on the Black Rock and seriously hurt so Jacob actually Touched him.
`maybe you stop aging when you reach the island??? or reach a certain age and stop
and i wish walt could go to the high school too but he’s a teensy bit old?
i love how happy everyone is with this episode, michael emerson ftw
lol DIE JACK DIE WAIT RICHARD NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO and i love when you call him ricardo Ack
and QUESTION: how long has it been between landing on the island when sun and the rest showed up and the reunion of time lines when jughead blew? it wasn’t three years for both of the groups (those that went dharma 1970s and those that stayed in 2007) right? it’s still 2007 right? ugh my head hurts, do you get my question?
Show me exactly on the doll where Jacob touched you, Richard.
Great episode, lots of things to think about. Did I spot jack tears, ben tears, richard tears, hurley tears and illana tears? Seems to be a lot of teary eyed people in this episode, you might have to come up with more names.
Even though that this was a serious episode, there were some great lines, “Are you a cyborg” “No I’m not a cyborg” lol I’m impressed that Richard even knew what a cyborg was. Was he catching some flicks on his time off the island?
Love your recaps, love the Benry knows bests, can’t wait for your recap!