LOST dead is dead...or is it?

LOST Dead is Dead

The best episode of the season, by far. One of the best ever, but that's what happens when you put Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn together for a whole ep.

First off, Ben, as usual, used words in his favor, but he never truly, truly, lied about John's death. I believe we are seeing the Doubting Thomas, not Jack, but Ben. He also tells the truth about coming back to the island, about being judged, although he strings that out. Noted "truths":

1. "My God, you're alive. I knew this would happen. It's one thing to believe it, John. It's another to see it."
2. "You had critical information that would have died with you and once you'd given it to me, well, I just didn't have the time to talk you back into hanging yourself, so I took a short cut" (one of the best lines the writers have come up with!)
3. "Are you trying to tell me your friends were in the Dharma Imitative? (You don't know about this?) Of course not."
4. Sun thinks that Jack lied, John wasn't dead in the coffin. "Trust me. I'm sure."
5. AND THE BEST half TRUTH that seems to sum it all up: Sun asks if Ben knew Locke would be resurrected. "Sun, I had no idea it would happen. I've seen this island do miraculous things. I've seen it heal the sick. Dead is dead. You don't get to come back from that. Not even here. So the fact that John Locke is walking around this island scares the living hell out of me."

Whether or not John is Jacob is to be seen. Lots of ideas point in its favor, but I'm not 100% sold. I do know that he is acting/questioning Ben as if he is the island, wanting answers. He's also leading Ben where Ben should already know what to do. I loved seeing them together in Ben's Hydra office. Not sure if Ben really wanted the picture of he and Alex or if he wanted to make sure there was no trace of him in the office. Either way, Locke slid behind the desk, almost making it his, mocking Ben as leading in a very corporate, not island, way.

1. " If everything you've done has been in the best interest of the island then I'm sure the monster will understand. Let's go.'
2. "I don't think you care about rules. You're being judged for killing your daughter."
3. Who's idea was it to move into the houses? "It just doesn't seem like something the island would want."
4. The light in Alex's room. "I suppose you should go over there and check it out."
5. About finding Jin "I'm all the help you need. I have some ideas."
6. "Ben has something to do first, isn't that right, Ben? Better get to it then."
7. Looking for Smokie. "We'll have to go to it." (I don't know where it actually is.) "I do."
8. John leads them to the temple, but Ben explains. Locke physically leads Ben underground, through the passage, as if he knows exactly where Smokey is, until Ben falls. It's as if real Locke turns back on, wanting to help him, pull him back up.

We get to see that Ben might not be the bad guy after all. He saves Alex - never knowing that a child was in the mix. I think this is his big first move against Charles (and maybe Charles big move knowing this might be coming) He won't kill Alex and questions if this is Jacob's wish? Every eye is on Ben, for sure. Ben can't let himself kill Penny, his gun drops at the sight of little Charlie. We know that he doesn't remember being shot - he talks to Charles right after Richard takes him into the temple. Does someone tell him that his life was saved mearly because he was a child? Its as if he's paying it back.


Ben really does show that his loyalty is to the island, allowing Alex to be killed. "The rules" have been thrown around so much I find it petty at this point, but I'm wondering if it's really about killing another Other. Ben did what he had to do save the island - Charles asked him on his exit -

Ben does seem repentant. Locke looks him up and down, checking him out, trying to read him, see if there are cracks. Smokey really checks him out, but he's 99 34/100 percent pure. The whole thing was very Indiana Jones/Arc of the Covenant. Although, it appears that he was planning to kill Locke again, which is very interesting, not surprising. Nada, the island says you better stay in line and follow the man.

Was Richard lying to Charles when he said that Jacob wanted to save Ben? He looked like he might be bluffing.

I can't find the exact quote, but when Charles wanted to talk trash about Ben, he called him dangerous. Ben calls Charles a really terrible human being. Wow, that's really getting to the core of a person, debasing them to pond scum.

More later, it's just too late.