Lost, Season 6 – “Dr. Linus”
The first scene of this week’s episode of Lost shows Benjamin Linus frantically running in the jungle, visibly shaken from his encounter with Sayid during last week’s episode, “Sundown.” This is quite a departure from the cold, manipulative, in-control Ben that we have been familiar with for the past five seasons. Like Richard, Ben’s confidence and courage have been completely eroded and he is now a shell of his former self due to the loss of Jacob. The fact that Jacob died by Ben’s hand is a double whammy for him. Not only is his entire belief system gone but he also has to deal with the fact that he murdered the man he believed in.
After meeting up with Ilana, Sun, Lapidus, and Miles, Ben suggests regrouping at the beach where they buried Locke to determine their next strategy. Ilana agrees, but her distrust of Ben hits an all-time high after Miles tells her that Ben killed Jacob. When they make it to the beach, Ilana pulls a gun on Ben and makes him dig his own grave, stating that Jacob was the closest thing she had to a father. This is quite literally the lowest point of Ben’s life, and the perfect time for “Locke Ness Monster” to try to recruit him, which he does. He tells Ben that if he can make a break for it, he can join his group. Ben, eager for acceptance, tries to escape, and when he’s chased down by Ilana, he admits that Jacob’s death was his fault and that his own selfish quest for power has caused nothing but sorrow and led to the death of his adopted daughter, Alex. Ilana unexpectedly takes pity on this broken man and tells him that he doesn’t have to go to Locke because he will be accepted in her group.
Meanwhile on the island, Jack and Hurley meet up with Richard, who takes them to the pirate ship from way back in Season One. When asked why he has taken them here, Richard tells them that he has never come back to this spot the whole time he has been on the island and that he has returned to die. He says that, when Jacob touched him, he gave him the gift of immortality – a gift that he now sees as a curse because, now that Jacob is dead, he has nothing to live for. He tells Jack and Hurley that he cannot die by his own hand, but that one of them can kill him. Jack takes a great risk in trying to convince Richard that death is not the answer, stating that Jacob still has a plan for them, even though he’s gone.
One of the most interesting things about this episode was how it shifted the two main players on the “Science vs. Faith” conflict that has been one of the main themes of the show. Jack, ever the man of Science, seems to have now embraced Jacob’s point of view, even if he has no idea what his mission is. On the other side of the coin, Locke – or rather, the man who has taken the form of Locke – has promised his recruits that everything that has happened to them will be explained if they just follow him. This “Faith vs. Fact” dichotomy also parallels the modus operandi of God and the Devil in the Bible, and the final conflict that is shaping up will no doubt contain references to the Book of Revelation.
Despite these factors, however, this episode was more than a little disappointing. The promos from last week, which are never to be believed, promised the demise of Ben Linus, which led many to believe he was going to die. Instead, the Ben we knew and loved/hated for so long is now seemingly on the side of good, and it remains to be seen whether he will still make it off the island alive. The “flash-sideways” shows Ben as a European History teacher in a Southern California high school who is given a chance to blackmail the principal (played by veteran asshole character actor William Atherton of Ghostbusters and Real Genius fame) and take his job. Instead of pursuing his own selfish grab for power, he backs off so the principal can write a much-needed letter of recommendation for Alex, who is now a student at the high school, so she can attend the college of her choice. This flash-sideways directly parallels Ben’s realization that his own thirst for power has caused nothing but misery on the island. The “Hunky-Dory Verse” gives him a chance to redeem himself by sacrificing his own ambition so that someone else may prosper. The parallel in the “flash-sideways” was a bit too obvious this time, which made this one of the weakest of these segments so far this season.
If this is truly the end of the double-crossing, shifty-eyed facet of Ben Linus’ character, I’m sure I’m not the only one to say that I’ll miss that side of him. He is truly one of the great TV villains of all time, and it’s almost sad to see him being taken in by what seem to be the heroes now. As expected, the final scene promises even more complications to come for these characters. This was definitely not my favorite episode of the season, and it certainly was not my favorite Ben-centric episode of the series, but Richard’s revelations at least made it somewhat worthwhile and earns it 3.5 out of 5 Long Dynamite Wicks.
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It’s not a pirate ship, dude, it’s a slave ship. ~_^
Also, Richard isn’t immortal, based solely on the fact that other people can kill him. He may not age, and he cannot commit suicide, but if someone else can cause his death, he is not “immortal.” If you’re immortal, you cannot die, period. No one can kill you.
If the finale references The Book of Revelation even slightly, I will be one happy camper. ^__^
I’m glad Ben didn’t die, “because the promo said he would”. If everyone dies in the end, that’s fine with me. But to kill a character (or more) in every episode is bad writing. Bad writing of Heroes caliber. “Oh, well, we can’t really carry this character’s arc any further, let’s bump ‘em off!” *rolls eyes*
Atherton was also Thornburg in Die Hard. ~_^
And Tenime wins the “Spot the Boo-Boo Award” for the fourth week in a row!
I loved the episode more than you did. I’m glad no one died (especially Ben). I was certain no one will die this time around, although at least four characters were on the verge of death (Ben almost killed by Ilana, Ilana targeted by Ben, Richard and Jack playing with dynamite).
As much as Flash-Sideways Ben’s redemption was obvious, I liked it. What I didn’t like, though, was the forced addition of Alex so Ben will save exactly the one character he wronged the worst in the original timeline.
As cheesy as the slow motion reunion scenes on Lost are, this time I was glad to see Sun running happily to hug Hurley and Jack, with Ben and Richard remaining apart from the group on each side.
@ Ten – I can’t disagree more about immortality. Stryfe said it best “Just because you can’t die, doesn’t mean you can’t be killed.” I ALWAYS assume immortality to mean life eternal, unless killed.
You mean to tell me that if Richard had been sliced straight down the middle into two equal but opposite halves, both of those halves should remain alive and functional?
Now, that said, the “can’t die by my own hand” bit was kind of silly. If Jack slicing your throat and letting you bleed out kills you, then YOU slicing your throat and bleeding out should ALSO kill you.
I’m listening to a Lost podcast right now, and a caller posed an interesting theory that states that the flash sideways are happier for those who are on Jacob’s side than they are for those who “LNM” recruited. For instance: Sayid doesn’t get to be with Nadia, Locke is with his fiance but still can’t walk, Kate is still on the run, etc. On the other hand, Jack has a son and reconnects with him, Dogen is reunited with his son, etc. We’ll have to see if this trend continues.
^ Or did Dogen have a girl in the flash forward? I’ll have to revisit that episode.
It was a boy (like in the other reality), though he looked like those big-eyed, feminine looking Anime kids.
3.5/5 is a pretty fair assessment of last night’s episode. Ben giving up his power to gain power for someone he considers a daughter. That was a nice touch; doing something right towards Alex. Although, this isn’t the same Alex. Or is it? I’m still wondering the cohesiveness of the non-Crash timeline.
Oh, and candidates for the position of Jacob. Like most, I’m thinking Hurley. But, now, I’m keeping Jack in my peripheral.
@Kerouac: I didn’t take Richard not being able to kill himself as if he does something potentially fatal it wouldn’t kill him (like slicing his own throat), but as if he tries to kill himself the island/universe won’t let it happen. So, if he actually tries something would stop him before he could go through with it (like the dynamite not exploding).
@BlueMaxx: I’m thinking Hurley as well, while still keeping Jack in mind.
JM, that would make a LOT more sense.
Ten, you’re proving MY point for me. Definitions aren’t cumulative. When there’s a one and a two, it’s either or, not both. Look at #2. An immortal tomato would never rot. It would ALWAYS be a perfect, round, ripe, red tomato. That said, it isn’t “invincible,” only immortal. Therefore, if I pick it up, slice it up, put it in a salad, and eat it, it will cease to be a perfect, round, ripe, red tomato.
You CHOOSE to apply the first definition, but it’s clear that the Lost writers are operating under the second definition, which is the more common one. Hell, look at the immortals of Highlander. Sure, it takes a specific kind of kill, but they can STILL be killed. It is rare that immortal is taken to mean “unable to be killed;” that pretty much only applies to Wolverine.
im·mor·tal
/ɪˈmɔrtl/ [ih-mawr-tl]
–adjective
1.
not mortal*; not liable or subject to death; undying.
2.
not liable to perish or decay; imperishable; everlasting.
*mor·tal
/ˈmɔrtl/ [mawr-tl]
–adjective
1.
subject to death; having a transitory life.
If Richard were immortal, nothing would be able to kill him. Not himself, not anyone else.
I think that forerunners to replace Jacob now are Hurley and Jack. Hugo is already connected to the whole deal although he has no real grasp of the magnitude and meaning of it all, and having Jacob’s “ghost” (not sure if a being like him have a ghost and if he’s actually dead, or his essence just became known to those who can see him like Hurley, whom we already know can see people that aren’t really there) guiding him and telling him what to do.
Jack, on the other hand, despite all his frustrations and lack of apparent purpose recently seemed to figure out that something bigger than him holds his fate and that – like Locke tried to convince him for a very long time but he didn’t listen – he has a purpose, all related to the island. He can’t die unless he fulfills his purpose. And that would be, I guess, taking over Jacob’s role.
Now that Ben declined the MiB’s offer to join him and possibly be his man on the island (probably taking over his role like one of the Contenders will take Jacob’s place), could be he has other contenders? He promised Sawyer to help him leave the island, but I won’t be surprised if he lied and try to convince him to stay behind in the end. And Sayid. Last episode took him all the way towards the dark side and I have no doubt MiB prepped him to be his replacement.
The second definition: “not liable to perish; imperishable”. Cannot perish.
per·ish
/ˈpɛrɪʃ/ [per-ish]
–verb (used without object)
1.
to die or be destroyed.
2.
to pass away or disappear.
3.
to suffer destruction or ruin
Imperishable – cannot die.
By any hands.
2 + 2 = you’re still helping my argument…
“Not liable to pass away or disappear”
But I’m not. I’m refuting your argument.
re·fute
/rɪˈfyut/ [ri-fyoot]
–verb (used with object),-fut·ed, -fut·ing.
1.
to prove to be false or erroneous.
2.
to prove (a person) to be in error.
XP
LMFAO!
Sorry, I must’ve gotten confused because you’re so bad at it – BOOM! Roasted!
Oh snap!!
Well, Ten. Even the Greek gods and Egyptian gods were immortal, yet they themselves were fallible in certain ways. The Fates had a string, even for the gods, and Egyptian gods were prone to death and rebirth all the time. Immortality is rooted in the concept of eternal, which means an everlasting life-span, which can still have abruptions. It’s like, yeah, I can never age, but someone could shoot me dead. And, I took his inability to not be killed as the concept of probability will tilt against Richard. But his Achilles Heel (in a very literal sense) is a happenstance that only another can inflict. Like Paris’ arrow. And Jack and Losties may be bound in that concept of probability, hence why the time paradox split. Possible theory, anyway.