I had a feeling I was going to be annoyed by this episode and I was.

OK, first of all - FASTEST RECAP POSTED EVER!!!!! And I love you for that.

Second, I haven't read the recap yet but I saw the beginning and I said the same thing as you - HOLY SHIT!

I thought the circle around the cabin was gun powder, but it could be some kind of ash too.

The guy in the chair was Terry O'Quinn, but does it mean anything, or did they just want a teaser shot? There was also a brief shot of someone's eye during that scene, but it wasn't Locke's or Ben's. Picture comparison: http://lostpedia.com/images/7/78/Jacob_Locke_Comparison.jpg

Richard is very interesting. Is he supposed to look like he hasn't aged much at all, or was it just really hard to make the actor look younger?

And of course, how does Ben go from rookie to leader?

What happened to Ben's little girlfriend? I thought for sure Ben would see her corpse as he entered the Barracks. I guess we'll learn more about her later.

What's up with the injections!? Kelvin was just messing with Desmond to get his boat.

What happened to Karl (Alex's boyfriend)? Last we saw he was let go by Sawyer and Kate. If he met up with the Others again, why haven't we seen him?

Mikhail is right up there with Sawyer for getting beat up or otherwise injured the most often now.

Also, the smoke monster has impersonated Christian (Jack's dad) and Yemi (Eko's brother) before. However, both corpses were on the island and then disappeared. But Ben's mother's corpse was never on the island. If the monster doesn't dispose of the bodies to take someone's shape, why did those two bodies disappear?

Poor Uncle Rico--coach never put him in, he never made it to state or went pro, lost his wife, and ended up stuck on an island working as a janitor and drinking generic beer for twenty years, only to be poisoned by his psychotic son.

And his original van was way cooler than the one he passed down to Hurley.

This episode just pissed me off. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Locke, who, assuming he's 'dead', will doubtlessly reappear as a spectral vision or dream visitor, but I hate to see one of the show's coolest characters get punked like that.

At least we now know what became of the Dharma Initiative (and that 'the others' are not affiliated with them), but now I'm annoyed by all of the Dharma stuff we were teased with in the past. Will all of that stuff eventually matter, or has Dharma suddenly just become irrelevant, beyond its function of getting Ben on the island and providing the Others with a bunch of hatches and dormitories? Could it be that the island is, say, a portal to Hell, that Richard is a demon, that Jacob is the Devil?

The fact that the name Jacob is used also brought to mind the film 'Jacob's Ladder,' and the biblical allusion from which that film's title is drawn. I won't spoil it here, but it makes me go 'Hmmm . . .'

By the way: WTF happened to Walt and Michael, and why was Walt so important to the Others? Where is Rose? Since she, like Locke, also knows the healing powers of the island, wouldn't this be about the right time for her to step up and make some disclosures to her fellow survivors?

One thing I learned last night: trying to figure out what's going on in this show through clues and internet dummy sites is pointless, because the writers are either making it up as they go along or just f%&*ing with us. I'm too curious to turn off, but my expectations are certainly changing.

That was probably the second most confusing episode of Lost ever. EVER.
Yes, I'm sure that DHARMA will still matter, if not just for whatever experiments they were running on the special natural properties.
I'm just really confused by that episode, STILL.
But one thing I thought of. Probably not intentional (but who knows with these writer?), but Jacob can be an acronym for, wait for it...
Just
A
Crazy
Old
Bastard.
Describes Ben to a tee.

awesome episode and thanks for the quick recap!
ok....something that's been bugging me...I think Ben is still lying about his birthday because if he really was born outside of Portland, he must have been born in warmer months...everyone was wearing summer clothes and Goodspeed was driving a convertible!...this doesn't make sense in the LOST timeline because if they crashed at the end of Sept....it's now the end of Dec...which means that Ben's birthday would have been in a cold month in Oregon!....maybe it's now Dec. 25th and Ben just adopted that date as his bday cause he thinks he's jesus? who knows?!

I was blown away by this episode. Jumped about ten feet when it was Richard standing there in the woods looking exactly the same age. Have the others found a fountain of youth or something? I wonder if Ben's little girlfriend was that blonde woman who could read Jack's tatoos?

This is the first time i've been interested in the others for a while. The folks from the plane continue to baffle me. Why did they go along easily with "I was going to think up a plan?" people need to kick Jack's butt. I have no idea why playing the second side of the tape was supposed to pacify anyone.

i really hope 'nothing on this island stays buried' is true of Locke. He was throwing down some emmy-worhty acting last night.

Thank you Leah! I was thinking the same thing. Jack was witholding info about Juliette and everybody is okay with that? Playing the other side of the tape confirms that she was working for Ben, the fact that she "confessed" to Jack doesn't change that. I'm really tired of this Juliette character.

I think Locke will survive the gunshot and become more powerful as a result.

I don't the the long hair Richard and short hair Richard are the same. I have a feeling short haired Richard is his son or something. MOstly b/c he told long haired Richard that he wasn't born on the island and everyone at camp thinks he was born there. Somethings up. Richard is super hot though, I hope he stays around for a while.

I totally agree with the post about Richard looking the exact same. And when I was reading the recap it totally struck me that Ben said early in the episode "You remember birthdays, don't you, Richard?" At the time I thought he was referring to Richard forgetting his birthday, but now I am convinced he was referring to Richard not getting older!

My head is going to explode thinking about this until January of 2008.

that's a good point too. it's just hard to believe that Richard would so willing let Ben look like a figurehead though. Plus he is the one that gaev Locke the recorder.

Maybe Richard's job is to recruit leaders of the others? And the initiation is to kill your father?

I was pleasantly surprised this week, but what's the deal with everyone having "daddy issues"? It's beyond tedious!

So now we know that Ben is a sociopathic liar who'd give the Clintons a run for their money, so in other words, nothing he says can be believed.

So how did listening to the flip side of that tape, which just happened to be cued up at the right spot, exonerate Juliette (and Jacksus)? "Aw shucks, Jacksus! We're sorry we ever doubted you! So what's your plan for our salvation?". Puh-lease.

Great recap, Greybishop, of an ..... interesting ..... and ..... brain twisting ...... episode!

Darn! So many questions. Just a few:

1)Did Goodspeed ship Emily's body to the Island the day (or shortly thereafter) she died or was she a manifestation of Ben's thoughts/dreams/wishes?

2) What's up with Young Ben meeting Adult Alpert in the jungle? Does Alpert not age or do we have father and son Alperts?

3) Why/how did the microbus get turned over between the time Ben left it and Hurley found it?

4) Why does Mikhail stand with Ben while the rest of the Others (including Alpert) favor Locke?

5) Where is Annie now? Something tells me that Ben did not have her killed.

I don't believe that Locke dies. The Island will heal him .... again.

One more thing...

When Ben and Locke were in Jacob's cabin, Jacob knocked the lantern off the table and started a fire. Five seconds later, they left and Ben hung the lantern up on the porch like this never happened and there was no fire.

Lost is killing me.

More biblical symbols if anyone is interested (forgive me if someone already brought these up-)

Jacob was the father of the tribes of Israel, Benjamin being one of them. Jacob also had a usuper sun, (Joespeh) whose brothers were jealous that he was about to get more power than him, and threw him into a pit for dead.

The whole "you have to be invited to see the king" is an echo of the story of Esther, a Queen in the old testament who defied this to go before the king and save her people. This would tie in with the other names of Biblical women already named, Ruth and Naomi. (I'm killing spellings here, sorry).

greybishop: thanks for such a fast recap!! this episode definitely had my scratching my head!!

those oceanic ppl really do need to kick jack's ass. he is really infuriating...

cansnuts: Im w/ you- richard is hot! :O) whoever he is i really dont care, but just keep him around b/c he is damn nice to look at!! he can stay forever that age.

lol that ben's dad is uncle rico! :O) that is just funny.

I have to agree with ponsoldt, #10 ... "And when I was reading the recap it totally struck me that Ben said early in the episode "You remember birthdays, don't you, Richard?" At the time I thought he was referring to Richard forgetting his birthday, but now I am convinced he was referring to Richard not getting older!" ... I think that is an excellent catch and a very promising theory. I don't care which way you slice it, Alpert definitely should look older. Ben was, what? At most, twelve, when he first came to the island, (or so we saw) and so we can guesstimate that it's been around twenty-five to thirty years AT LEAST...and I don't care how good of genes you have or how much moisturizer you slap on, you ain't gonna look that er..."untouched" after more than two decades. So...what does that tell us? It all makes my head hurt, really.

Oh, and greybishop, bless your heart for recapping so quickly. Sorry, have to mention one teeny typo: "That night, Ben lies awake in bet, petting his pet rabbit as his Father..." I won't over-explain the obvious.

:)

speaking of pet rabbits, sheesh white rabbits are no safer on this island than pregnant women

why aren't more people posting? I thought this was such a mind blowing espisode

This episode was just... awesome.
And the part where Locke hears "Help Me" totally creeped me out. Actually made me shudder... heh

Just wow.. I hope we get some answers in the next couple of episodes before the show ends.

Awesome episode and recap. I'm sure Locke isn't going to die... Ben shot him in the stomach not even the chest so he sure wasn't shooting to kill. Thanks too for the screen cap of Jacob in the chair. It flashed so fast that I couldn't tell who/what it was. Maybe everyone sees him differently depending on what's in their subconscious.

I definitely think that the guy Ben met as a child is the same Richard now. I'm thinking the island, which can help people who weren't born there heal, doesn't age those who were born there. But I have to say: if Richard was a "native" when Ben first met him where did he get normal clothes from? Did the Dharma Initiative import a Banana Republic store with them? I remember thinking that Ben's comment to him regarding birthdays was really odd but then it made sense later on.

As we've already seen, Richard has been off the island at least once and probably more than that, so he could have gotten normal clothes then.
As for the biblical references: those were both good cathes. I hadn't even thought of the pit that way. And the story of Esther is completely relevant in this case, as she was a Jew (pretending not to be) married to the king whose vizier was trying to get him to eliminate all of the Jews.
And then, of course, the very Exodus-plagues like mention of marking the tents of the pregnant women. It's interesting, too, because in the bible, those in marked houses were spared. Interesting.

My thoughts, not very deep as some here but what the hell.
My first thoughts about Jacob's house was that it was an old haunted house from DisneyWorld! Seriously they have an old abandoned zoo why not an abandoned theme park?
Everything in that house screamed phony to me. That weird little fire, etc.
The last few shows I am just wondering when Juliette had time to drop STUPID PILLS in their food!
How else can you explain letting the Russian guy go again?
Why else would Jun tell Juliette she had an affair? Why would she trust Juliette of all people with that information?
Everyone letting Jack bring Juliette back? Really stupid!
But the tops to me was after visiting Jacob last night Locke walked in front of Ben. Why?? Why would you turn your back on that man? Who didn't see Locke falling in the hole the minute that scene came on? Locke must have taken the super stupid pill!
I know a lot of the show is deep and I learn a lot more from the recaps but the stupidity is getting worse every week!

I think Sun told Juliette b/c she had to get it off of her chest.
So instead of telling people, her friends, about it.. people who might see her in a different light, she tells the woman who doesn't know her.
As for Locke turning his back on Ben, he was getting too cocky of himself. Thinking he still had the gun.

Anywho! I visit a few other Lost boards and people bring up some good observations.
Such as.. what's up with all of the daddy issues?
And could Ben be the reason why the pregnant women die b/c of what happened to his own mother?

WOW, recap was great, everyone had great ideas...hasn't this thrown us for a loop. Everything has a biblical tie to it, from day one. Then the mark above the tents to mark the pregnant women, moses and the israelites, during the plagues. Anyone notice that in the cabin jacob threw things, fire was set a blaze, yet Ben could sit jacob down saying "okay you've had your fun" then walk out of the cabin okay? IN the still frame it looked like locke with hair, or bens dad with hair+age.
Why would the Natives help Ben kill Dharma, are they good or bad?

great recap, GB!

everyone has excellent points.

#21 - imo, gut shots are just as (if not more) potentially fatal then a chest shot, especially in a jungle with limited medical supplies. the producers will do as they must (in terms of killing locke off) for ratings. i hope he lives to clear up his back story.

what really struck me when ben was introducing jacob to locke was the strong sense that ben is indeed "crazy" and that jacob is his alter-ego. The display of wind, fire, and the image of someone in the chair was created by ben's own mind - telekinesis, etc. did young ben develop alternate personalities while a child in his father's abusive care in order to cope? #24, re" ben being cause of pregnant women's death because of what happened to his mom - maybe its done unintentionally?

who knows... just struck me as a very stephen king-ish plot device.

anyone else notice ben's parents came out of the woods beside a highway sign reading "Portland 32"? Richard and Ethan's Mittelos Labs was just outside of Portland in "Not in Portland".

thanks again GB!!!

~alexis

Shoila,
As soon as I watched Ben's mother die after giving birth, I wondered if that was why women, who gave birth on the island died-- the whole box thing. His unconscious fear issues.

I also thought Ben would have prevented his friend Annie from being gased by the "Hostiles". I'm also confused about that too.

Wasn't it in season 2 when the "others" talked about the Hostiles as another group? The natives? Then we saw Kate find the "clothing props" in the locker?

I almost want to go and watch all of Season 1&2 to see if something is amiss.

GB-- Great recap! Fast too! I didn't realize it would be up this quick.

oh my goodness. My opinion, this was the best lost episode EVER. There are definately serious Daddy issues. Think about it all the main characters, sawyer, kate, locke, jack, jin, sun etc..... and these are the people that ben is interested in the most. And I cant believe they killed everyone in the initiative, could there really be a good reason for that. because right now, i see ben and them as the bad guys, who are crazy enough to think they are the good guys. weird... I can not wait to find out more.

Great episode, great recap. Thanks again GB for getting it up so fast!

I thought this was one of the most edge-of-your-seat episodes ever. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest during the whole sequence with Jacob. Wow. It was so intense. Oh, and before I forget, Evangeline Lily was on Jimmy Kimmel the other night. She neither confirm or deny if Locke is alive. She said the next 2 episodes are going to be just as intense as the last few have been. And she said there is a big reveal in the finale and when she read it in the script it gave her goosebumps! I can’t wait!

OK, back to the show. My initial thought about the sand-like substance that Ben made a point of stepping over was gun powder also (as mentioned above). I have no idea why I thought that. I really like the theory that there is a circle of it around Jacob’s cabin to contain him/it. When I saw the empty chair my first thought was that Ben is crazy. I didn’t think he was trying to punk Locke, I thought he really believed there was something there. I thought it was the fart cloud. Then after seeing an actual image I don’t know what to think. It does look like Locke but I have also seen the image compared to a photo of Alvar Hanso and there is a resemblance there also. I think it could still be the fart cloud which appears to Ben in human form, the theory that is becomes whatever you have a connection to.

I jumped 5 feet in the air when Ben shot Locke. I did not see that coming. I also do not believe Locke is going to die. He seems to be too important to the overall story of the show.

As for Richard… He is either the same person who hasn’t aged or maybe the Richard that young Ben encountered is the father of the Richard that brought Juliet to the island. The theory that people born on the island don’t age is a good one but they have to age some in order to become adults. Is the aging process super slow? Or does it stop once they reach a certain age? I think there is more to Ben’s comment to Richard about remembering birthdays.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic episode and I can’t wait for the next 2.

Mrs LT- good point on the Exodus! Don't know how I missed that one.

Excellent recap.

Here is a thought- maybe the reason that babies conceived only ON the island, can not be born, has something to do with the antiaging properties on the island?

Alexis (#26), good hypothesis on the telekinesis (Stephen King-ish). Considering they were reading "Carrie" in the book club and Ben made fun of it, I think that you may be onto something...or you could be way off (you know how Lost is!).

I thought Locke was touching volcanic ash since they showed the volcano earlier.

Richard definitely looks the same...and definitely wears eyeliner!

Quick question...was Rousseau's daughter born on the island or did she bring her along? I can't remember. I think she was pregnant when she came to the island, and thus that's how she was able to be born and live. Just wondering.

I hope that Locke is still alive. Behind Sawyer, he is my favorite along with Benry.

#31 - good point about antiaging...maybe there is also anti-weightlosing on the island as well (look at Hurley...and Jack's put on a few lbs. as well!).

Darth- good point on the ash. remember how in school the kids asked if the volcano would errupt and the teacher said that it wouldnt' happen but it happened a long time ago?

Someone really needs to explore the whole "daddy issues" theory. Every main character I can think of has had pronounced "daddy issues" with the exceptions of Charlie and Sayid, unless I am forgetting something.

With this show, everything means something... especially if they are beating us over the head with it, as they are doing with the daddy thing. There have been whole episodes dedicated to exposing a certain characters issues with their father: Claire, Jack, Hurley, Locke, Jin, Sun, Kate (heck she killed one of hers and the other won't talk to her)...even as far back as Shannon and Boone...remember that?

So we know it must mean something, question is, WHAT?

Thoughts?

Two things: the whole Mittelos translating into Lost Time means something and I think that has something to do with Richard not aging. I don't think they would have had the same actor portray both the father and son.

In looking at this from a biblical perspective, maybe it's supposed to be the Garden of Eden where everything began (although orginally I thought maybe it was supposed to be Atlantis). Although I don't know if from a geographic standpoint if that would make sense (although what does here?)And somehow the Daddy issue fits into that somehow. I just hope that they do a back story on Richard and how the island itself began. Although maybe that' for next season.

While the "daddy issues" thing is neat, I don't think it [i]means[/i] anything. Just like every appearance of the numbers or every castaway present in someone else's flashback doesn't mean something.

Merick, I respectfully disagree. I definitely think that characters appearing in each others flashbacks means something. The fact they they were all somehow connected before crashing on the island is most definitely important.

And the numbers are meaningful, too, but you're right, I don't think that every single time they are referenced it means something. But the numbers as a whole concept...that's something for the last season, I bet.

Perhaps the "daddy issue" theory is just that, a theory. But for now it seems all too important.

Also, #27, AvaMarie, I love your theory: As soon as I watched Ben's mother die after giving birth, I wondered if that was why women who gave birth on the island died-- the whole box thing. His unconscious fear issues. As soon as I read that it sent my mind racing...a connection seems highly likely.

But with this show, you just never, ever know.

Good recap.

Richard is definitely the same Richard and is meant to be so. No father/son deal, it's the same person.

I think natives of the island just age at a much slower rate. Richard could be two or three hundred years old. Why not? Is it that much of a stretch? Not for this show.

As far as why Richard isn't in control of the group, he's not "gifted", he doesn't have a connection with the island, Ben does. Ben is the only one in the group who talks to Jacob because he's the only one who CAN talk to Jacob, the others aren't able to. Just because Richard is a native of the island doesn't mean he has a connection to it. Remember, Richard was definitely interested when Young Ben told him about seeing his dead mother. Plus, why would the Natives let Ben live? Why didn't they kill him along with everyone else? Because Ben had something to offer, his abilities. However, Locke can also "see" things like Ben can. He and Ben are similar in that regard (and in other ways as well, both Ben and Locke's mothers are named Emily. Not saying that means something deep, I just think it's meant to convey that these are two men cut from the same cloth). This is why Ben is so threatened by Locke, because Locke can replace him. I think this is also why Ben was so interested in Walt and is why he had him taken. He wanted to see what Walt could do. He wanted to assess the threat. Maybe Ben let Walt and Michael go because he wanted Walt gone. I think Walt was the most powerful (ability-wise) on the island and Ben wanted him out.

I wonder if Richard knows what the smoke monster is. Juliet (I think) said that they (Dharma) didn't know what it was, but maybe the Natives know more about it. I'm thinking that when the smoke monster takes the form of a person (specifically a person, not an animal), it's important. We've seen the smoke monster/island reach out to Locke, Ben, Eko, and Jack. I still have no idea why the island killed Eko though.

Ben really wants to retain his control and power, and I don't think he's in a cushy position either. Ben is scared of Jacob as Jacob is obviously powerful but Ben also has something over Jacob, Jacob did ask Locke for help after all.

Anyway, that's what I think for today. It'll probably all change tomorrow.

AM I TOTALLY CRAZY, LOST, OR BEHIND...I think Richard looks alot like the guy who got Juliette to come to The Island, remember in a business suit talked to her, then her ex husband got killed. I SWEAR that is the same person, those dark set eyes, that are a little creepy?? What do you think?

Jenwed- yes he's the same person. Ethan's also in those scenes.

Awesome episode, great recap, and interesting speculation and comments too! I am starting to wonder if Ben is somehow "keeping" Jacob there against his will? It would explain why he said "help me", it could potentially fit in with the line of sand/ashes if he is some sort of spirit or something. It also ties into the whole purgatory/hell theory as well. Perhaps he is someone who is not being allowed to leave or "cross over" somehow? But who is he? Why would Ben want him around? Why could John hear him and not Ben, and why does he look so much like John? Ben even mentions they share the same feelings toward technology (I just thought it was interesting that Ben chose to point out something they had in common, like some sort of link). And as powerful as Jacob is, Ben seems to have something over Jacob too. Yikes, back into the metaphysical - after all the expostulating about giant psychological experiments and scientific research. Curiouser and curiouser....

Ben says, "Jacob is a man who summons you". I wonder how Jacob does that. He's anti-technology, so I'm sure he doesn't have a phone or radio. I saw no evidence of keepers or aides to deliver messages. So, how does he "summon" people? Smoke signals, a dinner bell, telepathy, how......?

Funniest part of the recap? ---------"If I really need to make the joke. . . then I am disappointed with all of you."

I immediately thought that the stuff on the ground was salt. Don't think it is volcanic ash- it is laid out too perfectly. I think it is salt and it is imprisoning Jacob, hence the “help me”.

As for the people on the island not aging - well Ben certainly did. And if you think that only people BORN on the island don't age, well then wouldn't they all be infants? I vote for "age VERY slowly" or maybe time travel - I know, I know - before you say that that is impossible, remember - smoke monster? All of these people having connections to each other pre- flight 815? How probable is that?

I just came across this article on Lost. Thought some of you might find it interesting.

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20038700,00.html

Interesting idea about Alex, but I'm pretty sure she was just trying to help Locke, especially since she's been told by Sayid that Ben has been lying to her all her life. She may not have believed him, but the fact that he recognized her just from a family resemblance probably helped.

I'm positive Richard is the same Richard. The birthday comment was confirmation. He is fast becoming one of my favorite characters. I don't understand the relationship he and Ben have at all.

There is NO WAY that Locke will die. Come on. He is like the main character.

WTF is Jacob?? ARG!!!! This episode changed everything and I cannot freaking wait for the season finale.

Btw, Benjamin and Purge is a pretty damn funny title.

after the episode i was sure that alex's intention was to give locke the gun for his own protection from ben...as if there had been past excursions to visit Jacob which resulted in one person (ben) returning instead of 2.

i had to quickly sit up from my viewing position to "see" where/what Jacob was, cause it didnt look like anything :O. then i saw it wasnt anything but a rocking chair.

Does Ben think Locke is really dead? What is he thinking? See my take on Lost at http://mytvmusings.com/2007/05/09/lost-4/

So we all thought Ben was crazy, until we heard *help me*. Well, even with that I'm not sure he isn't. I thought it was Ben talking in a funny voice (as did Locke). Possible wrench in that is that we saw Jacob, but more on that later.

Abused children often develop split personalities. We distance ourselves from unpleasant things. We do it at the dentist for example. Problems happen when the negative episodes happen too frequently: people get stuck distancing themselves. Ben was certainly emotionally abused, he could well have developed a more hostile personality to deal with who hurt him (dad).

I'm going to go with Jacob being his buried good side trying to get out, asking Locke for help. Benry keeps him imprisoned, probably not knowing it is another side of himself, and uses the sand border as a measure to do so.

But what of the image that actually appeared? Well, chalk it up to things appearing on the island: Jack's dad, Ben's mom etc. Just because we saw it doesn't mean it really exists. It could have been a manifestation of Ben's mind.

Why did it look like Locke? Ben (his dominant evil side) obviously sees Locke as a threat: someone capable of doing what he does, someone very like him, but someone who isn't evil. Thus the visual manifestation of Ben's good side looks like Locke.

times I actually yelped during this episode: 3
(mom in the window, richard behind kid-ben, ben shoots locke)

SO. If the others don't age, as we can see as a possibility by richard def. being about the same age, then isn't it technically possible that Ben is very very old? Like... if ALL the other's don't age, then we have no way of knowing how long it has been since they gassed the dharma folks... the reason I thought of this is that, I mean, how long does it take for corpses to turn into the skeletons that were in the pit? I feel like it's more than a few years. So, potentially, all that happened a hundred years ago, and they are just chillin'... thoughts?

Also, I didn't make the "Jacob is another version of Locke" connection myself, but once I read it, this came to mind: Ben asks Locke what Jacob said TO LOCKE. Jacob asked Locke to help him. then ben says "well, I hope he helps you." Almost like locke is both parties? But that may be reaching. (Then again, an invisible scary island leader who may or may not be real and/or locke/ben is also reaching).

#38: V