Ben’s Ultimate Con!
In the Season 4 finale we learn some very important information from Ben, which helps in presenting this theory!
1. Ben tells Locke that moving ‘the island’ is a last resort.
2. He tells Locke whoever moves ‘the island’ can never return.
And most importantly, Ben tells Locke, ‘he’ always has a plan!! Ben makes these statements to Locke while he is patronizing and placating him. Telling Locke how sorry he is for being so ‘mean’ to him and making his life so miserable, yada, yada.
If you were thinking Ben had a sudden change of heart or grew a consciousness, YOU were conned too! A megalomaniac like Ben would never give up ‘the island’ or ‘his power’ so easily.
The one major ‘tell’ that Ben was ‘conning’, (aside that his lips were moving) was Ben had ‘his master plan’ already in action at that point. We know this because of a few things we learn at the end of Season 4, and in the beginning of Season 5.
Ben not only knew how to move ‘the island’, he knew all of the repercussions involved. When he arrives in the Hotel Lobby in Tunisia, he has a pretty good grasp of the date. He knows what year it is!
Further proof of his ‘con’, was Alpert meeting up with Locke when ‘the flashes’ began. Alpert has awareness of ‘the flashes’ and the workings of them. He knows how time is going to be moving. In fact, he gives Locke the compass because ‘he knows’ he won’t recognize Locke when they meet again! If Alpert knows this, so does Ben.
If you thought as Kate did, that Ben seemed to have no qualms about the ’06’ leaving ‘the island’, YOU were conned just as bad as Kate was. When she asks Ben if they could leave ‘the island’, Ben basically says, ‘see ya’, as if he cared less. Ben knows ‘the island’ has its ‘hold’ on the ’06’, and he knows how to get them back to ‘the island’. It’s all part of his ‘master plan’!
What I believe is Ben’s biggest ‘con’, is, he has figured out a way, to get himself back to ‘the island’. Ben tells Jack the reason Jack has failed in his attempts to get back to ‘the island’ because he can’t go alone! Ben tells Jack, they all have to go back together, including Locke. I think the same rules apply to Ben. He can’t go alone either! That is why he allowed the ’06’ to leave ‘the island’ in the first place. The ’06’ were Ben’s ‘Golden Pass’, back to ‘the island’ !
Thoughts’..
thoughts?….ben is my favorite character…ben is a devious, lying, manipulative (benipulative, as i call it) “person”….and i absolutly agree with and love this theory! :]
AES, so glad you like it. You are right! Ben is the most devious individual!
I had to feel sorry for poor Locke. He finally thinks he has ‘made it’ as leader of ‘the others’, only to have it literally disappear in a ‘flash’ before his eyes!
And, if that were not enough, Alpert tells him he HAS to die!
That’s pretty ‘cold’ no matter how you look at it!
Bad Benipulator!
Wow dab, just wow.
Can’t say enough good things about this.
With all this in mind, I still feel Ben could be at the heart of something for the greater good. I’m such a sucker!
Chillax, thanks so much for your kind words!
I do happen to agree with you about Ben, being part of some ‘greater good’.
He is associated with Ms Hawking, whom we know convinced Desmond to keep on pushing the button. “To save the world”, as she put it.
This leads me to believe Ben must be on the side of something good.
If we find out Ms Hawking is just as evil as Ben, we’ll have to make that ‘suckers’ table for two. lol
great work dab. I think you may be right. I wonder how locke ends up leaving the island. I also wonder if the manner in which you leave has anything to do with how, or if you can return.
Another wonder of mine is that in Season one when Danielle is introduced, Sayid had calculated that the signal had been going on for 16 years. If the purple sky indicated a time jump, from Des not entering the numbers, is it possible she hadn’t really been there that long? Just my thoughts. Also if she jumped, and it was from before Ben and she had a child she might not have known who Ben was.
Thanks, Locko! Don’t know for certain how Locke leaves, but one thought is he turns the wheel again.
I believe ‘the island’ dictates the ‘how’ you can return. I have a bit of a theory about it, which I hope to post.
I also believe ‘the island’ lays claim to you. In the case of ‘losties’ it brought them for a reason, and will only let them go, when you they’ve completed their mission!
As for Danielle, I am unclear as to how long she has been on ‘the island’ time wise, as opposed to how long it would be on the outside world.
One example to compare with, is the ’06’ have been on the outside world, for 3 years, and it seems those remaining on ‘the island’ are jumping through time, almost instantly.
Should prove to be interesting. I’m loving this season!
Yabba Dabba Dabs! I like it with one change. Remember that Christian told Locke to move the island, not to have Ben do it. Ben actually convinces Locke that he should be the one to do it since the island has chosen Locke to be the new leader. I think this is the clearest evidence that Ben was manipulating Locke.
The question is why would Ben want to leave and I think the answer is that Alex was killed. Ben’s motive is to talk to Widmore and tell him that he’s going to kill Penny. (interesting though that Ben doesn’t actually do this – at least he hasn’t three years later.)
I think he allowed the O6 to leave because he knows that the island will find a way to bring them home and he needs someone to show him the way. Without the O6 I don’t think Ben can return on his own.
Jukin, you are right about Ben allowing the ’06’ to leave. This was of no real concern for Ben.
I will be posting another theory which will hopefully illustrate WHY he wasn’t concerned with them leaving.
I think the only reason Ben has not killed Penny, thus far, is he has been unable to locate her! Widmore has not been able to locate her either, apparently.
I think ben wasnt only not concerned, he wanted them to leave, its his ticket back. Also, i truly, seriously, dont believe ben is going or planning to kill Penny. I think he knows he can get to Des by using her though. And before you say it…ben seems to know everything, thats how he knows about Penny and Des.
AES, Great take on the ‘Des & Penny’ angle!! You’re right!
It makes perfectly good sense to me. I should have known better than to even hint Ben has been unable to find Penny! That was a ‘duh’ moment on my part! lol
You certainly know your ‘Benipulator’ stuff. I humbly bow before you. Well, curtsy at least.
Thank you for the compliments Dabs, just for the record, i have been wrong more than i have been right.hey..
AES, I think part of what makes figuring out this ‘crazy little thing’ called Lost, is having people like yourself, to discuss it with!