Episode 7 - Dr. Linus

Normally I'm bursting at the seams to write about a Ben-centric episode but it fell a little flat for me. Ah well, here's my short short summary.




SUMMARY

Off-Island
Ben is the history teacher at a public school that lacks funds. We find out he truly cares for his students, one in particular Alex Rousseau. He has to cancel his history club meeting because the principal forces him to watch detention. Alex shows up at his home where Ben is taking care of his father and asks to meet early in the morning for tutoring. During their tutoring session Alex lets it slip that she needs a recommendation from someone who went to Yale and the only person she knows is the principal. She doesn't want to ask him since she witnessed him and the school nurse getting it on one time. With encouragement from Locke, Ben decided to enlist Dr. Arzt's help by checking his email correspondence with the nurse. When Ben approaches the principal with the ultimatum to give Ben his job, the principal threatens to destroy Alex's future. Ben backs down and Alex receives a shining recommendation from the principal.

On-Island
Ben rejoins Ilana's group and they head to the beach. She confronts Ben about how Jacob died revealing he was like a father to her and Miles confesses that Ben killed Jacob by listening to his ashes. Once at the beach Ilana takes Ben prisoner and forces him to dig his own grave. Smokey appears and tells Ben that he will help Ben by setting him free and has placed a rifle in the jungle for him to use against Ilana. Ben makes a run for it and when he has Ilana at gunpoint, he explains why he killed Jacob, to protect his power which was the only thing he had after he gave up everything for the island. Ilana tells him that Ben can join her group and Ben follows. Meanwhile Jack and Hurley head back to the temple but find Richard Alpert en route. He tells them he will lead them to the Temple but instead they end up at the Black Rock. Richard tells them he needs to die and Jack follows him inside. Richard explains to Jack that he can't kill himself because Jacob touched him and gave him a gift. He asks Jack to light the end of the fuse and let him blow up but Jack lights the fuse and stays with him. He explains that Jacob brought him here for a reason and that he wouldn't have come this far just to blow himself up. The fuse dies at the end and they both live. They travel back to the beach to find out their destiny and are reunited with the Losties.

Actually writing the recap made me rethink that I actually liked this episode a lot.

1. I think the most interesting thing that happened this whole episode was Ben's conversation with his father in the off-island world. He confirms that they had been to the island and that the Dharma Initiative existed. So this proves that the gang blew up the island with the nuke and the Dharma folk left the island safely. It's funny how Ben's father thinks Ben really could have made something of himself if they stayed on the island but I guess it's a matter of perspective really because technically Ben did make something of himself on the island - he was a leader of all the Others, but in reality it meant nothing whereas in the off-island reality he's actually helping people's lives for the better. Bit of irony I suppose.

2. I loved that we got to see Richard Alpert again! Oh how I missed him! And it was confirmed that he came over on the Black Rock so are we to assume that Smokey did as well or did Smokey just release him from the chains? (Alluding to his statement a few episodes back that Smokey said it was nice to see him out of his chains which could be actual chains for a metaphor for Jacob's chains). So Richard seemed to be annoyed with Jacob's death because after hundreds of years he never found out Jacob's plan for him. Interesting to find out that he too was held back by free will as it seems he has given up his and can only rely on Jack's compassion to kill him, or to rather not kill him.

3. Not only was Jack very handsome in tonight's episode, he started to finally realize his role on the island. Only took ohhh 5 seasons but the lighthouse seems to have made an impression on why he was brought here. I guess he did find his purpose for coming back to the island, even if he isn't 100% sure what it is exactly. And yay he's being redeemed and becoming the leader he's always been since season 1!

4. Was anyone else creeped out by Alex and Dr. Linus' relationship? Never ever ever would I show up at a teacher's house ever, or then gossip like a 7 year old school girl about the principal and the nurse at our private tutoring session. I mean come on lost, I know we suspend reality for the show but couldn't we have thought of a better way to convey their close relationship?

5. So I was pleased at the end when Ben chose the well being of Alex over himself because it sort of redeemed his choice of the island over Alex. And I almost teared up at the end when he was explaining to Ilana how he made the wrong choice and in the end the island left him with nothing. God those big bug eyes can do it to me sometimes!

6. It was so fun to see Dr. Arzt again! And also that they returned to where he got blown up outside the Black Rock, still a great and shocking event in Lost history. He was still as annoying as ever but so eager to commit e-mail fraud once Ben bribed him with a nicer parking spot and lab coats. Seems like even in the off-island world Ben is still manipulative, but this time he has a little heart.

7. So we found out Ilana's role, Jacob and the candidates' bodyguard, but really, did we need all the tears? I don't know, she just annoys me. I was kinda rooting for old Ben to pop up and just shoot her. But I guess she does have more information so let's see what they'll squeeze out of her.

8. So here's one of my problems with the Losties. They show up on this island jungle of mystery and EVERY time they capture an Other or anyone who knows anything about the island they don't ask a million questions. If Ben was looking for answers, it seems like Ilana maybe had them, and if Jack wanted to know more about the origin of the island it seems like he had Richard Alpert right where he wanted him. Come on Losties! Get with it!

9. Did we all see Jack's face when Richard told him that everyone at the Temple was dead?! He was SO thinking about Kate. They are going to rule the island together forever. The end.

10. So when Richard Alpert mentioned that Jacob touched him and gave him a gift, does that mean he gave the same gift to all the Losties we saw him touch? Can Jack, Sawyer, Kate, etc not kill themselves? Could explain why they were able to escape some hairy situations! But I don't think so because they seem to still have their free will in tact, unlike Richard. And it seems like Richard wasn't too please with said "gift" given to him by Jacob, but also if he died and didn't give me any answers I would also be very angry.

I'm actually pumped for next week's episode for the return of Sawyer and who knows, maybe some answers. Also, maybe after 3 years Sun and Jin will be reunited!

Until next week folks :)

xo
B