Here's another Lost Review from Paula! Make sure you check out her awesome blog @ http://dreamr-dogblog.blogspot.com/!
Michael Emerson plays Benjamin Linus, an Emmy winning actor. He was awarded the 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Dramatic Series. In 2007, he was nominated for an Emmy for his role on Lost. This episode is named after him and he actually has a heart, and is redeeming himself.
Now Ben is a Doctor teaching high school history. In LA at the high school Locke tells Ben he is listening to him and if he doesn’t like the principal do something about it. Ben teaches history, very caring about students and especially his student, Alex.
Back on the island in 2004 when the plane first crashed, Alex was Ben’s daughter. The mercenaries that came to the island to kill Ben killed Alex. Ben had chosen the island over his own daughter, which always caused a great deal of guilt for him. Now Ben is playing a lead role again in Alex’s life.
In LA, Ben is at home taking care of his dad. A direct contrast to the hate he had for his father on the island in 2004. He gassed his dad and all the Dharma Initiative. His dad says maybe they should have STAYED ON THE ISLAND AND NOT LEFT. This is the first person in sideway flashes that has any knowledge of the island. News breaking!
Jack and Hurley are coming back from the Lighthouse. The (dead) Jacob told Hurley to take Jack there. They meet up with Richard Alpert. Richard is a strange character. He is the only one we know least about that has been a major player through all seasons. We learn a little more about him, but where did he come from? Why would you follow someone for decades and not know why?
Ilana has Miles “read” Jacob’s ashes and he tells Ilana Linus killed Jacob. Ilana wants to kill Ben now and chains Ben and makes him dig his own grave. Ben is always getting himself in a pickle even when he tries to do right.
Back in LA Ben is tutoring Alex and she reveals to him that she caught the principal banging the school nurse. Ben gathers the principal’s private emails and confronts him.
Miles brings Ben some food while he is digging, Ben tries to bribe Miles once again, but doesn’t work. Miles read Jacob’s last thoughts and said Jacob was hoping he was wrong about Ben, but he wasn’t. Miles has no sympathy at all for Ben. I’ve grown too really like Miles with his laid back attitude.
Richard Alpert says he is taking Jack and Hurley to the Temple but he lied to them. Richard tells them everyone is dead at the temple. Richard doesn’t see any reason for living now that Jacob is dead, his mentor. Jack tells Richard they are not meant to die now. Richard cannot kill himself because he was touched by Jacob. I wonder just how old Richard really is.
Hurley leaves jack and Richard and a lit stick of dynamite. Jack tells Richard what he saw at the lighthouse and the mirror of his house as a kid. They are talking, sweat running down their face, watching the fuse get shorter and shorter. And the fuse mysteriously stops right before the BANG. Richard is in awe now of Jack. He says now we go back to where we started. (Back to the beach.)
Ben is becoming a man in charge as the history teacher in LA .He was in charge on the island before; Ben went through great lengths to become the man in charge. He was brought to the Others as a child and has planned every since and devoted everything to the island.
Locke, Monster, shows up while Ben is digging his grave, unknown to Ilana. This reminds me of the devil coming to give you eternal life. Locke offers Ben charge of island if he follows him, and bam the lock on his ankle just falls off. Ben takes off running, Ilana right behind him.
Ben gets the drop on Ilana and gives a very heartfelt speech about his daughter getting shot and sacrificing everything for Jacob. Ben says Jacob didn’t even care. (Very touching, an Oscar performance.) Ben cannot forgive himself and doesn’t ask for forgiveness, he just wants to leave. He tells Ilana he is going to Locke,” he is the only one that will have me”, he says crying. Ilana tells Ben, “I’ll have you.” We see a whole other side of Ben now on and off the island.
Ben confronts the principal with the emails, but it backfires. Ben says I want your job, (Ben doing whatever it takes to get what he wants, at least it’s not killing anyone.)The principal turns around and blackmails Ben with his student Alex; he will torch her future. Ben backs down for the sake of Alex, Which he didn’t back down on the island and got her killed.
THE REUNION- Miles, Sun, Ilana, Ben, and Frank Lapidus, the pilot are all back on the beach now. Who should show up but Hurley, Jack, and Richard. What a touching sight. Sun is so glad to see them, but still no Jin. Will she ever find him?
To put an end to this touching reunion, Whitmore is back in the picture. He is on a submarine with a military crew, when he is told there are people on the island. Whitmore says go on by. I can’t wait to see what that was all about. At least he is not out to kill them now. Any thoughts on Whitmore’s role with the island present day?
