Ben wasted 3 years on revenge?! Since the O6 arrived, Ben got Sayid to kill a lot of Widmore's people. From Sayid's conversations with Hurley, it looks like Sayid recently broke from the bondage with Ben. So did Ben let his anger at Widmore cloud his priorities for 3 years?

Now he's freaking out cuz Hawking tells him he's got just 70 hours to get O6 back to the Island. Didn't he know that was a bit more important than killing a few operatives?

We aren't told when or why Ben figured out that they had to return, but - Richard's first reaction to this Island - moving / time - skipping situation was to tell Locke the O6 had to come back. And Ben usually knows what Richard knows about the Island. I mean, if he knew to move it, surely he knew the O6 were needed to prevent the world from destruction. (I assume that's what "God help us all" means.)

I think John's death is a message to Ben

Ben wasted 3 years on revenge?! Since the O6 arrived, Ben got Sayid to kill a lot of Widmore's people. From Sayid's conversations with Hurley, it looks like Sayid recently broke from the bondage with Ben. So did Ben let his anger at Widmore cloud his priorities for 3 years?

Now he's freaking out cuz Hawking tells him he's got just 70 hours to get O6 back to the Island. Didn't he know that was a bit more important than killing a few operatives?

We aren't told when or why Ben figured out that they had to return, but - Richard's first reaction to this Island - moving / time - skipping situation was to tell Locke the O6 had to come back. And Ben usually knows what Richard knows about the Island. I mean, if he knew to move it, surely he knew the O6 were needed to prevent the world from destruction. (I assume that's what "God help us all" means.)


I hear what you're saying and it's a good point but to some degree Ben had to wait til the 06 were primed and ready to consider going back. A happy, non drug addicted Jack, for example, living with Kate and Aaron isn't going back to the island nor is Kate and so forth. Ben had to wait until it fell apart for them all

Don't think it was a simple case of procrastination, of Ben watching the football game before writing his term paper that's due the next day.

when ben landed in the desert, i think it was 2 years into the future. i think the o6 had been off the island for a while. they showed him in that hotel with the tv showing sayid at the funeral, right? (a little fuzzy, sorry). i think he has been plotting the return for about a year "real time". in that time span, locke returned, pursued everyone and then died.

when i watched the show, it finally made me realize that the people on the island have only spent a day or night on the island since the frieghter blew and the o6 had been home for a couple years.

anywho, ben's priorities are for him only, oh and the island, of course. he doesn't give a hoot about anyone else unless it is to HIS benefit.

and i wouldn't have him any other way!

when ben landed in the desert, i think it was 2 years into the future. i think the o6 had been off the island for a while. they showed him in that hotel with the tv showing sayid at the funeral, right? (a little fuzzy, sorry). i think he has been plotting the return for about a year "real time". in that time span, locke returned, pursued everyone and then died.

when i watched the show, it finally made me realize that the people on the island have only spent a day or night on the island since the frieghter blew and the o6 had been home for a couple years.

anywho, ben's priorities are for him only, oh and the island, of course. he doesn't give a hoot about anyone else unless it is to HIS benefit.

and i wouldn't have him any other way!

Excellent point. The 06 had been off the island for some time when Ben landed from his jump so he didn't have 3 years to work on them. I think that and having to wait for/create the right conditions is the answer. Sayid was a natural place to start as Nadia had just died (or did Ben have her killed to make Sayid more pliable Hmmm?)

(or did Ben have her killed to make Sayid more pliable Hmmm?)

absolutely a thought to be taken into consideration.

right with the point that ben would do anything to get back for himself. such a sad sap!

Excellent point. The 06 had been off the island for some time when Ben landed from his jump so he didn't have 3 years to work on them. I think that and having to wait for/create the right conditions is the answer. Sayid was a natural place to start as Nadia had just died (or did Ben have her killed to make Sayid more pliable Hmmm?)

Ben seemed surprised to see Sayid on the television soon after arriving in Tunisia. I don't think he had time to have Nadia killed.

Ben is also traveling without all his usual equipment... passport, local money, clothes. I'm sure it took him some time to contact his people in order to supply himself and reach the O6 around the world.

Ben arrived in Tunisia in October of 2005, 10 months after turning the wheel. He had two years to work on them. But, I agree with what others have said. You cannot convince someone to be a part of the go-back team if they are happy being home. Also, John's arrival and his message was the catalyst for all of them except Kate.

Ben seemed surprised to see Sayid on the television soon after arriving in Tunisia. I don't think he had time to have Nadia killed.

Ben is also traveling without all his usual equipment... passport, local money, clothes. I'm sure it took him some time to contact his people in order to supply himself and reach the O6 around the world.

Ben didn't kill Nadia, but he did have a stash in the desert of money and passports a plenty... as shown in a deleted scene from S4.

He blames Widmore for Alex's death and wants to punish him... pretty ruthless considering taking an innocent life to punish someone else! Ben is a bit off... remember what he says to Juliet... after everything I've done to get you here, to keep you here... you're mine!

But then there is the greater good idea... maybe wiping out Widmore's cohort is better for the island?

Ben didn't kill Nadia, but he did have a stash in the desert of money and passports a plenty... as shown in a deleted scene from S4.

He blames Widmore for Alex's death and wants to punish him... pretty ruthless considering taking an innocent life to punish someone else! Ben is a bit off... remember what he says to Juliet... after everything I've done to get you here, to keep you here... you're mine!

But then there is the greater good idea... maybe wiping out Widmore's cohort is better for the island?

I'd hate to think that killing Desmond's True Love is a good thing for the Island. In general I'm a Ben fan, but his threat to kill Penny is one thing I can't justify.

Ben's crazy.

I thought Ben's threat to Widmore was perfectly justifiable. We all know Ben is a cold-hearted person especially with that one line

"You just killed everyone on the freighter"
"So?"

I'm actually surprised Ben didnt go further. He just made the "Eye for an Eye" threat.
Ben always struck me as the "Head for an Eye" type

Ben arrived in Tunisia in October of 2005, 10 months after turning the wheel. He had two years to work on them. But, I agree with what others have said. You cannot convince someone to be a part of the go-back team if they are happy being home.

Exactly. Just like Ben wanted Jack to want to do his spinal surgery. Ben has certainly had some time to work on convincing the O6 to return. It will be very interesting to see how he's been working on Sun. I think He's responsible for the Lawyers' visit to Kate. Either that, or someone else is playing right into his hand.

And let's do not forget another issue Ben had to address: to actually find the island once again, before being able to go back to it.