<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theackattack.net/?p=1423#more-1423" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theackattack.net/?p=1423#more-1423</a> Now that she mentions it, all that hair sniffing was pretty creepy.
Before watching last week's ep (and the promo for this week's episode after) I thought Ben was a strong possibility to be killed off. I think it would be a bit farfetched for him to join team MiB/Flocke, and he's days in Team Jacob/Jack/Ellana are numbered until they find out it was him that actually killed Jacob (which I'm guessing this week's episode will be centered around tomorrow). So really, his character arc is in a bit of a lull. Unless Ben takes a complete 180 as a person (which sort of has been hinted at so far) I can't see how he will play a part in the remaining story. He's had a very minor role in season 6 so far. Will be very interesting to see what happens tomorrow.
Has anyone heard the podcast Bill Simmons did last week with Chuck Klosterman? They spent the last half hour talking about LOST, and it really was one of the most frustrating things I've ever listened to. I enjoy Simmons, and I REALLY respect Klosterman, but my god these two missed the mark completely on what was going on. I just wanted to scream at my ipod while I was on the train and make them understand. I doubt that would have gone over well with the other passengers though...
Klosterman's idea could be right, that he thinks the last episode could be where everyone is on the plane going from Australia to LA, and it ends somehow. I don't really have an opinion of my own on how the show will end, but that does seem plausible.
I did, and I regret doing so. Klosterman's suggestion that Jensen could be a plant for the writers really made me do a double take. It made a lot of sense to me. Other than that, I didn't think they had much of interest to say. I agreed with Simmons' take that at this point, he had no more theories and was just watching along to see what happens. I have definitely witnessed that phenomenon around here as of late. Far fewer ideas being thrown out, seems like everyone is a little tired of hatching an elaborate end game theory, only to have it smashed to shit the next week.
I'm mostly just waiting to see how in the fuck the sideways world relates to the actual show. But yeah, for the most part, I'm just kinda chilling for this last season.
Spoiler I read an interview with Cuse and Darlton where they basically responded to this exact question. They said not to worry, and that it does have a HUGE significance, which will be revealed in upcoming weeks.
I, for one, hope Ben ends up playing a much more pivotal role. I miss his badass, I-got-you-all-in-check persona from Season 3.
I'm REALLY glad to see what they did with Ben. There was a long period of time where we discussed Ben's true nature, and I think we now know that in spite of everything, he WANTS to be good, and by making the right choice in the flash sideways he ultimately proved himself to be on the right side. Terrific episode.
I thought it was a great episode. But the one part that really confused me was the "conversation" with Jack and Richard. Before the commercial break Jack says "let's talk" and then Jack just tells Richard about the lighthouse. I expected Richard to say more about his history on the island, but I guess there really isn't anything else to know that is essential.
Thinking about this more... it really gives validity to my assumption about what the flash sideways mean about the people. Kate and Sayid and Claire... we've seen them in the flash sideways but they're stories aren't finished, they're still the same general person, Kate a fugitive, Sayid a killer, Claire pregnant and alone... But Jack develops a relationship with his son, Locke comes to terms with his disability, and Ben Linus. Ben Linus has a good relationship with his father, he's at odds with the school, but he does like teaching and he does care about the students... and Alex. In this reality, Ben is faced with the same choice, you or Alex, and he chooses Alex. But instead of choosing his daughter's life, he chooses his star pupil's education, a completely selfless act. And we see him making this choice as the tragic Ben Linus, the Island Ben Linus, finally admits that's he's alone, that nobody will have him, that he's made mistakes and that he's scared. The Island Ben Linus drops his guard and Off-Island Ben Linus gets to be a good man. This episode was beyond excellent. And Michael Emerson deserves the supporting Emmy win for this.
I'm still reeling from the fact that we got an explanation for Richard's "gift" - that it was Jacob's touch that gives him eternal youth. Does this imply that now all those people Jacob touched back in "The Incident" - the remaining candidates (+ Kate) are now blessed with agelessness as well? Isn't that a HUGE deal? Because those are the dots that Jack seemed to connect, and it worked out for him.
I can't get all my thoughts down in one place on that episode, so I will keep it simple. For me, that was the most emotional episode in series history. Ben's character arc is truly amazing. LOST has done such a good job of keeping the viewer in the dark about who is good and who is bad - BUT, it's so much more than that. It has rendered good and evil obsolete, made them the overly simplistic concepts that they are in real life. It's not a either/or, it's a scale, and LOST has stayed true to that concept. Amazing episode.
Ok, so Ben HAS interacted with the temple folk before, he knew who Dogen and Lennon were. Ben teaching about Napolean. Lol. "With the loss of his power, he might as well have been dead." I love this show. Locke the teacher says, "You seem to really care about this place. If the man in charge doesn't care about it, maybe it's time for a change." Hello, subtext. When Ilana first said, "Jacob was the closest thing I ever had to a father," I was expecting Ben to say, "Me too." Alex is back, and hotter than ever. I actually like how weird her nose is. I think it makes the rest of her even prettier. Wait, how old is she really? Alright, so Richard definitely came to the island on the Black Rock. "In all the years since I've been on this island, the is the first time I've come back." Widmore. Awesome. I guess he's either on Jacob's side, or important to his plan. Spoiler I believe there is a Richard-centric ep coming up. Dude is also a whiny, self-important little bitch. It's Dr. Linus, actually. It just remains to be seen if it was a normal touch, or a "show me on the doll" touch that he meant, but yes. It seems people he touched can be killed, but can't end it themselves (i.e. Emo-Jack on the bridge in L.A.).
That really was an incredible episode. Along with all the stuff about Richard arriving on the Black Rock, we also learned for sure that Jacob was bringing people to the island to replace him. I also really loved the ending right before Widmore arrived. The "slow-motion-people-reunite-on-the-beach-with-piano-music-by-Oscar-winning-composer-Michael-Giacchino" thing was old school and great.
Because everything is clearer in the light of day... So... Charles Widmore... is he the one that Jacob said was coming to help the Island, or is he a bad guy? Who did Jacob allude to when he said "they're coming" before he died, good guys or bad guys? And how did Charles finally find the Island? Machinations of Jacob? With Eloise Hawking's help? And... jesus does anyone remember the premier? DID FUCKING DESMOND TOUCH JACK ON THE PLANE? IS DESMOND ACTUALLY THE NEW JACOB? IS THAT WHY HE VANISHED?!!??! TELL ME BROTHA!