Holy cow, this episode was crammed full of so much stuff. Murder! Betrayal! Smoke monster! It was like an entire movie in one hour-long episode. A busy, confusing movie. I can't say I totally enjoyed this week's Lost entirely (though I am psyched that it's back!) , but I loved the ending when Ben raised the stakes a few more notches.
Know what else was raised? Questions. To check out some of my thoughts and perplexities about this week's episode (spoilers ahead!), read more.
- I love that that clip of Hurley saying "We're all gonna die" which we've been seeing in previews for weeks was actually just him . . playing a board game.
- "Calm down, Chicken Little. The sky ain't fallin' just yet." When Sawyer said this to Hurley, I just thought it was a funny little nickname moment, though Lostpedia points out that this is a reference to a character who believes disaster is imminent.
- Of course Ben can play the piano in a creepy trance. Also, I kind of loved it when Widmore called Ben's eyes "horrible." They really are.
- Ben's flashforward takes place in October 2005, which is a year and one month after the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. In this one episode, the jet-setter is seen in the Sahara Desert, Tunisia, Iraq and London.
- I love it when characters make remarks that could be quips about the entire series in general, like when Daniel Faraday says, "'When' is kind of a relative term."
- I completely thought this would be the episode when Claire dies (leaving Aaron in Kate's care). And then, it wasn't.
- Why'd that guy murder Sayid's wife? And now we now how Sayid came to become Ben's killing machine.
- "She means nothing to me." I can't repeat the obscenities I was yelling at the screen during this moment, but OMG. Ben is massive jerk, changed rules or no. His daughter died hearing that she meant nothing to him and was just a pawn. His status as that villain everyone loves to hate was changed to just hate.
- And Alex wasn't my favorite character by far, but her death was incredibly sad to me.
- Oh, so they brought back the smoke monster. Sad, crazy smoke monster. Anybody else giggle a little at the vaguely Yeti-like noises it makes as it wreaks havoc? I have a hard time taking that particular plotline seriously.
- I don't care too much about the dead guy on the beach. It seemed like he existed in the story simply to make this exchange happen:
Jack: "Were you ever going to take us off this island?"
Daniel: "No." - Sawyer is so protective of everyone in this episode. Saving Claire, shielding Hurley from Locke. Love that Sawyer.
- Widmore has nightmares?
- Ben can't kill Widmore?
- What exactly were "the rules" that Widmore changed? And where is Penny hidden that Widmore thinks Ben won't find her?
So, there's a lot to chew on here! What did you think of this episode? Are you just excited to have TV back in general? Are you kinda looking forward to seeing Jack, the doctor, become the patient next week?
Photos copyright 2008 ABC, Inc.
Anne Weyburn
Clarks
Michael Kors
I thought it was great..
I also am very interested in how Ben suddenly appeared in the Sahara Desert dressed for cold weather lying in the sand much like the very first episode had Jack awake in the jungle...
Anyone else feel like that was on purpose?
And part of some big reveal?
As well as the fact that Ben was unsure of what year it was.. time travel? Quantum Physics? Immediately Micheal Crighton's book Timeline popped into my head..
1Too..much...to...process. I'll get back to you on those questions. The more I think about and episode, the more my brain hurts.
2when ben showed up in the desert i immediately thought of the polar bear in the desert. also, did anyone catch the name on his shirt? kalliwazek or something, i'm sure lostpedia has it.
felt really really bad for alex... ben sure messed that one up.
can't wait to visit jacob!!!
3oh also, favorite moment: when ben pulls a shotgun out of nowhere. clearly, he was in control the whole time and exactly where he wanted to be!
i wish i could call the black smoke monster to do my evil bidding.
4I LOVE THE SMOKE MONSTER! Weird how ben went into that cave thing and came out all dirty/greasy and the smoke monster comes. He definitely has some power of it? Or releases it? I don't know.
Anyone else notice that Ben's shirt in the flashforward had a dharma logo on it. I didn't recognize it as any that we've seen. I felt really sad for Ben losing Alex. I think he really thought that Keamy wouldn't kill her because of the "rules" and was trying to convince him to just let her go since he "doesn't care". But obviously he did. And I think Alex knew that.
I'm super worried about Sun too. I feel like time is just creeping up on her and her baby. Stressful. But I'm kind of excited and hope we get to see Jacob next episode. That whole thing always confused me.
Oh also, got this from another site:
One of the Bedouin points out how Ben does not have a trail. The other replies, "Where did this [guy] come from? Down from the sky?"
how DID he get there? Kind of looked like he was surprised to be there too? But prepared.
5and ps. I love how Keamy was like "what kind of man do you think I am and Ben just busted out all his knowledge. jerk face
i think you're a little hard on ben. clearly it sucks that those were the last words that alex had to hear, but ben just said them because he thought keamy wouldn't kill her (hence, the rules have changed). heck, i didn't even think they were going to kill her b/c otherwise, where's the leverage? ben the omnipotent was clearly shocked and extremely hurt that alex was killed. and now he's out for revenge.
i also think ben was behind nadia's death. the little smirk on his face when he walked away from sayid in iran (after sayid killed her "killer") made me think he wasn't just happy that sayid was joining forces with him. ben will stop at no lengths to get what he wants, least of all manipulation of people's emotions.
6I'm with you Buzz. This was not my favorite recent episode. I was most frustrated with the amount of commercials. It seemed like the show would be on for two minutes, and then we get another 5 of commercials. I'm starting to believe that Ben really is the hero, although his motives and actions are questionable at best. I did like the scene with Ben and Whidmore; now it seems as if the entire show is based around some kind of twisted power game these men are playing with one another. The victims of the crash are unintentional pawns in their game. Do we really believe that man killed Sayid's wife, or did Ben tell him that to maniupulate him in to killing the guy? Everything Ben does I take with a grain of salt.
7I thought that learning that Ben can control the smoke monster was great! And now I wonder why he/it killed Eko.
Also I wondered when / why Widmore thought that he owned the island, that was interesting.
I thought it was a great episode, so happy it's back!
8the name on the dharka (dharma parka) was halliwax, like edgar halliwax from the orchid station orientation video that's been on the net for a while but not on lost yet.
9I also think that Ben was actually surprised and horrified that Alex was killed. This episode actually made me feel bad for Ben, not hate him more. I think Alex knew that Ben was just saying that stuff to make the freighter folk let her go; she knew that her father loved her. Just seeing Ben cry over her dead body and tenderly close her eyes (the first time we have ever seen adult Ben show emotion) told the audience that he was genuinely shocked and distraught at her death.
And yeah, I feel like Ben was behind Nadia's death or he just lied and told Sayid that it was Widmore's men that had her killed. It was all part of his plan to get Sayid to start working for him.
Random - is it just me, or was it a little weird that Sayid went on about his love for Nadia, yet during his time on the island with Shannon he seemed to forget all about Nadia? Like that time Shannon said that Sayid would leave her like all the other guys she knew, and he was like, "I will never leave you." He sure seems to fall in love pretty easily.
10I just read that Halliwax is an alias of Dr. Marvin Candle from the Orchid Video.
11So maybe that new dharma symbol is for the Orchid station? We've never been introduced to that one. And dammit where are the rest of the others? Just hanging out in solitude? Let's see them help out jeez.
I just read that Halliwax is an alias of Dr. Marvin Candle from the Orchid Video.
12So maybe that new dharma symbol is for the Orchid station? We've never been introduced to that one. And dammit where are the rest of the others? Just hanging out in solitude? Let's see them help out jeez.
I thought the whole Nadia death was really sudden and jarring. I would have preferred it as its own flash forward episode with Sayid prior to this episode, so I could have been more invested in it (and better understood Sayid's anger that would turn him to working for Ben).
So I'm still not sure if Alex was really Ben's daughter. Yes, he was saying she wasn't to get Keamy to not kill her, and his last reaction in grief seemed as though she really was, but I kind of think Ben really did steal her from Rousseau, but regarded her as his daughter and was still distraught when she was killed. Maybe I just can't imagine creepy Ben and young, hot Rousseau getting it on.
The last thing--I think Penelope must have gone to the island, because Widmore and Ben both implied that the island was impossible to find ("the hunt is on" or something). Even though it would seem Ben can go to and from the island at will, I think the location of the island is so mutable that he can't always get back. Case in point: we haven't seen Ben back in the island in the flash forwards yet--just in the real world.
13Did they ever make us think that Alex was Ben's biological daughter? I was always under the impression that he did steal her away from her mother, and her real father was one of the other scientists with Rosseau who died due to the sickness.
And I read somewhere else where someone speculated that Penny is on the island - hence why Ben won't ever find her, according to Widmore, and why Widmore will never find the island, according to Ben.
14I liked the episode, Ben is one of my fave characters. I don't think he's a big a jerk as people think ... yeah he said all that stuff about Alex but he was trying reverse psychology, albeit it was a little weak on Ben's part but he really did love Alex.
Also, I think that they are really playing up Sawyer's sensative side to get the audience on his side so they can kill him in the finale and gain the most sympathy and shock. Love Sawyer but gotta tell ya, pumped for the Kate and Jack scenes to come!!!
15I really thought Claire was gonna die this episode for sure! And I was totally shocked when instead, ALEX died. Sad sad sad.
16Can't wait to find out what the Orchid station is!!! Should be interesting. And LOVED Sawyer in this one. sigh.
Alex wasn't Ben's biological daughter, her parents were the scientists that crashed there, Danielle was her mother, her father was killed by Danielle. I'm assuming because none of the Others could have babies is why Ben stole her in the first place and raised her as his own. So even if she's not his biological daughter, she's the only father she ever had and we all know how crazy he can be about people he cares about (like Juliet), so I do think he loved her.
17PS I Hate Jack and Juliet, and even though I don't like him with Kate either, it's better then Juliet.
i'm pretty sure that ben was telling the truth about stealing alex from rousseau. but the lie was that she was a pawn and he didn't care for her. he may not be her dad biologically, but he raised her for 16 years; she was his child.
i don't know if i believe that penelope is on the island, though. ben knows where the island is and the way that thing is locked down, he has to know everything that goes on there.
i will be HORRIFIED if they kill sawyer off!! so much more than i was about alex (which was very much so, for the record). he's been my favorite character since the beginning. he had me at calling locke mr. clean (i know that's not the first nickname, but it's the furthest back i can remember).
18I think the "rules" that Ben was talking about was not killing off each others' love ones. He said it when Alex was killed. I kinda wonder what all the rules are now since I assume there are more.
19I love Sawyer and don't know why, but during last night's episode, it suddenly occurred to me that he does not make it off the island. I love that my other favorite characters (Sayid, Sun, Hurley) all make it off, but only if they could have traded Aaron for Sawyer! I've seriously grown to dislike Locke so I'll be glad that he doesn't make it off (although he clearly doesn't want to anyway) His character is so utterly pathetic sometimes, he's hard to watch.
If the actor who plays Ben doesn't win an Emmy award, something is really wrong with people, he is just plain amazing, every single episode!
20I SO thought Claire was going to die this episode- and was totally SHOCKED when Alex did. I always liked her and her death did make me pretty sad.
I'm starting to get frustrated with Daniel's mumbling about the weird things on the island and wish he would just be straight with everyone. He told Desmond everything because he's his constant and he has to keep him alive or else he will die, but why can't he spill the beans about all the weird time jump stuff to everyone? Why lie? I loved his character at first but now he's starting to get on my nerves.
I definitely think that the Dharma logo on Ben's jacket was the Orchid station, especially since the Orchid video seemed to deal with time jumping. I was fortunate enough to see it at Comic-con last year so I've been mulling it over for almost a year and its finally starting to make sense. And Halliwax is the Marvin Candle guy's name in that video. There's definitely a connection between Ben showing up in the desert and the polar bear that Charlotte found in the desert. There's got to be some portal from the Arctic to the desert and maybe to the island. Haven't quite got that all figured out yet.
The question nagging at me most is why Ben can't kill Widmore? Is he his constant? (my coworker laughed at me for that, but I don't think it's as silly as it sounds...)
21mannylove — I totally agree, I think Michael Emerson (who plays Ben) should win an Emmy. He was nominated last year but lost (ha ha) out to Terry O'Quinn who plays Locke.
22And I think it's a testament to that actor that he has keeps everyone so riveted! He really is amazing. And I still maintain that I'm mad at Ben, though I'm also sympathetic toward him at the same time. How does he do it?!
I know he was saying all that stuff to Keamy in an attempt to actually save Alex, but it was still some cold stuff to say. And though we know there are rules that Keamy broke, I still think it was dangerous of Ben to say that she means nothing to him because, to the guy keeping her hostage, what reason does he have to keep her alive after that? I know, I know, The Rules, but still.
That whole thing was just heartbreakingly sad. I keep thinking about it. How does Lost do this to me?
that's a great idea phasekitty, that Ben and Widmore are constants!!! Where can I see this video with the Orchid station??
23So happy LOST is back!
A lot of interesting things going on! I took note of when Ghost Whisperer dude/Miles told them that they wanted to escort Ben back to the mainland...could this be another island or country close by or just the origional beach where this all started?
I guess I'm the only one who has always hated Ben and always will! He is not to be trusted and will kill anyone in his way including his own father!
YAY, for Sawyer finally waking the hell up and saying "I never should have followed you wackos in the first place", it's about DAMN time Sawyer!
Another YAY for Sawyer for being the only one with enough conscience to save poor Claire! I almost cheered when he went running back for her saying "well I'll make time" GO SAWYER! Awww, and he stood up for Hurley also, even with his faults you just gotta LOVE that man Sawyer...SWOOOOOON!
Interesting to see how Sayid started working for Ben. I'm sure Ben set that whole thing up. Poor Sayid.
I'm thinking definite time travel with Ben not being so sure it was 2005!
Damn Smokey was mad as hell last night! I still want it destroyed for killing EKO!
Ben is gonna kill Penny I'm sure Desmond is NOT having it! This should be good.
24Phasekitty- Widmore as Ben's constant makes a lot of sense! That is a great idea! Why else wouldn't Ben just kill him? Plus, he probably has to go see him anyway to "stay" in the right time and not time-flip. I also agree about some sort of portal from the island to the Sahara. There is definitely something there...
I 100% thought Claire would die- never saw Alex coming. I think that Juliet, Claire and maybe Sawyer will die sometime soon.
Can't wait till next week!
25My husband and I burst out laughing when Ben leapt off the piano bench and whipped out this gigantic gun from the inside!
If anyone has to get killed, they can off Juliet. She is my least favorite. Also Daniel Faraday is really getting on my nerves.
I too thought Claire was a goner.
Sawyer was soooo cute, with his "You better not harm one curly hair on that head of his" or whatever he said about Hurley, and how he called Claire sweetheart.
By the way, does anyone else hate typing out the word "sweetheart"? It just looks weird to me, like "sweeth art".
26Penny is probably safe somewhere with... DESMOND! Charles Whidmore knows that Desmond would die for her and so he has to entrust him with her safety (whether the love birds themselves know it or not). This is going to come down to a show down between the two army-trained men: Sayid vs. Desmond. OMG.
27Line of the Night: "Excuse me, James"-Ben
I LOVED this episode more than any other episode. Ben is amazing. I don't thin anyone can make you love him and hate him so much at the same time. Is it just be or has he become the star of the show? When was the last time we checked in on Jack and his crew? Forget supporting actor he stole the show he needs to get nominated for lead actor in a drama.
The only thing I don't like about lost is John Locke. God, he gets on my nerves. Such a back stabbing coward and hangs onto everything Ben says and does.
Sawyer was extremely hot in this episode. like nothing I've seen before.I died when he called Claire sweetheart. When did he become so nice?
Next episode I would like to see less Locke, more nice Sawyer, more Jin and Sun, more ben, and more Michael (I think I'm the only person in the entire world ho loves him despite everything he's done-can't help my self no matter how hard I try)
28I'm just glad it's back.
29phasekitty...i thought for sure that Alex was Ben's constant...yeah he was distraught about her death, but i think there was also panic in those CRAZY eyes of his. And am i the only one that did not like Sawyer's sweet side? i dunno, his dirty mind, rude & obnoxious, "i don't care what anyone thinks/says/does" kinda attitude was what turned me on about him...but last night, he was just uuuggghhhh, sweet and caring....(i know i have issues, lol) but i do love the bad boys! lol...love the challenge...can the jerky hot sawyer please come back?
30SO GLAD LOST IS BACKKKKKKKKK!!!!
Yesterday was great!!! So much information but overall great explanation like how Sayid ended up working with Ben. And I am sure Ben planned it all, he is just using Sayid to get what he wants.(PENNY!)
I was so shocked they killed Alex. That was really really sad. Cruel.
Yeah for Sawyer! Protecting everyone and FINALLY going back to the beach (well considering next week preview ... there is going to be a lot of trouble en route!)
Oh Aaron is so cute. Loved it when Hurley put him in the laundry basket with a pillow
Time-travelling confirmed with Ben asking what year it was.
Too many things to say ... anyway I loved it . I needed back my Sawyer !
31I was so sure that Claire was going to die in this episode, especially since she was randomly separated from everyone in the beginning of the episode. I don't think she is 100% safe though, but I'm glad she's ok for now since she's the only character I actually like. Did anyone else notice she said Charlie after Sawyer picked her up from the explosion?
I'm guessing Ben can teleport on and off the island...and that he was the one behind Nadia's death. Lost is such a depressing show, I bet no one is going to end up together except Kate with Jack/Sawyer (if anyone).
32Oh, and how did I forget to mention Alex? That was sooo sad but I kinda saw that coming after Danielle and Alex's boyfriend died. Still was a little bit shocking though...
33At bluesuze, I loved those lines too
. When he called Claire
sweetheart he sounded so tender...almost in a paternal way, ahhh just so sweet. And that affection between Hurley and Sawyer made me go awwww 
how cute of Sawyer.
Just the idea of BEN killing Penny...Desmond's love, made me so sad
he'd better not for
Desmond's sake !!!
CAnnot wait to find out what's going on with Jack, for a moment I thought he was gonna die soon, but then I remembered that he was in Oceanic 6.
Yeah and I also liked Hurley's improvised craddle.
I didn't see Alex's death coming at all. I wanted her and ....that boyfriends of hers whose name I don't remember to end up living together happily and in peace
very sad
34I think the rules are that you don't kill the innocent people. Remember on the boat when Michael thought he was going to blow up the entire thing but then Ben said he would never actually have him do that because there are people on the boat that are innocent.
35I truly love this show. And I too thought Claire was done for!
As for Sayid's wife...I think Ben might have killed her to give him an excuse to be angry with Witmore so that he would want to help. We all know that Ben is conniving and he looked so pleased that Sayid was ready to help him. Clearly his plan all along.
36The only thing I have to say is after watching this episode, I went insane.
37I love the fact that Ben's in control of the monster. Loved how he just turned it on.
Other than that, still processing it. I'm gonna watch it again.
38This isn't as exciting as past episodes, but I liked what I saw. I was freaking out thinking Claire was dead. Poor Alex tho
39I hope Ben doesn't get to Penny!
I finally got around to my tivo'd episode last night. WOW.
That scene where Ben goes into his bat layer was intense.
40I love Lost. Started watching it 2 months ago from scratch and now am up to date. I hate ben´s character, but the actor is amazing. I love Saywer (hot, bad boy with a good heart) Sayid, Hurley, Sun,Locke.
41I hate Juliet, ughh, hate her. Such a egocentric, holier than thou idiot.
Though i think that the more i see the less i know when i watch Lost.
Ohmygod people STOP talking about Sawyer dying!!! I know he doesn't get off the island but does that mean he has to go? I would be so so SO upset if they killed off my favorite character!
Oh and what is WITH all this killing? I'm sad Rosseau is dead and now Alex. When are they gonna stop?
42Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.