I think Ben is an awsome character. In episode 3x4 we finally see chinks in the armor when he is talking to jack about his tumor. It really makes him a more dynamic than he already is.

I agree!!
Ben is awsome, and he is now my favorite character!!!
I like his little talks to Jack..:)
I hope Jack can help him!!

I love the look Ben gives Jack when The Spinal Surgeon That Fell From The Sky asks him about neck pain and tingling that never stops, it's like "What? What did you say to me?" :)

I was watching my favorite bits from the six episodes of season 3 last night --Otherville, "My name is Benjamin Linus", "WE'RE not killers, James", "Your heart isn't going to explode, James" and a few, erm, others :) and I just love to bits two quick bits in I Do:

After Jack tells the video camera "We're done in here", Kate keeps pleading with him, to no good. I very much got the impression that Ben was unhappy about Jack treating her that way and that's why he ordered --see Juliet, he ordered you-- Juliet to get her out of there.

And just before he counts back to 18 :), he asks about Alex. What a world of possibilities! Alex is probably someone he raised after she was taken; he gave Kate Alex' dress to wear and tying in with the above, probably sees Kate as kind of a daughter. Of course, it's a twisted sort of step-father/daughter thing, with the cages and guns pointed at heads and all that, but still. :)

I love the look Ben gives Jack when The Spinal Surgeon That Fell From The Sky asks him about neck pain and tingling that never stops, it's like "What? What did you say to me?" :)

Yes that was a great scene, it was the first time we saw Ben taken off-guard, the look on his face was so well done.

Ben is such a brilliant character, (and is also my favourite, lol). I think his character has got alot of promise, I really hope we get to learn alot more about him-and I hope he survives the op...!

I have a theory that Ben really is one of the good guys - my money is on Juliette being the baddie.

I just love his vulnerability in ep6, when Jack is taking about the op. It's the first time we have seen him worried/scared. It doesn't last coz he pulls himself together by the time he's in the OR, but just those few seconds of vulnerability tells you so much about him.

It's one of the few times he has seemed really 'human'.

I have a theory that Ben really is one of the good guys - my money is on Juliette being the baddie.
I agree. I would say Juliet would have no trouble pulling the trigger on someone if she really wanted to.

There's something about her niceness that doesn't fit. From the start I thought it was set up - that they told her to be nice to Jack basically.
Also, Henry (I don't like calling him Ben *lol*) seems really smart so if Juliet isn't usually that nice or whatever, wouldn't he be keeping a closer eye on her? Wondering why she's being nice to Jack? And therefore not miss her plan to kill him?

That's my two cents *lol*

--Leanne--


:eko: :henry: :locke: :shannon:
:pookie:

I agree. I would say Juliet would have no trouble pulling the trigger on someone if she really wanted to.
There's something about her niceness that doesn't fit. From the start I thought it was set up - that they told her to be nice to Jack basically.
Also, Henry (I don't like calling him Ben *lol*) seems really smart so if Juliet isn't usually that nice or whatever, wouldn't he be keeping a closer eye on her? Wondering why she's being nice to Jack? And therefore not miss her plan to kill him?
That's my two cents *lol*
Good call Sussudio. My thought though is that she is that nice to everyone else, at least on the outside. Remember in the season3 premiere when Juliet was almost crying in the mirror, and got overly upset by her burnt muffins? That's certainly a sign of stress, and I think she's upset or mad or dwelling on something, but she doesn't let anyone see her like that. So I think she could hide it from Ben and everyone else.

And just before he counts back to 18 :), he asks about Alex. What a world of possibilities! Alex is probably someone he raised after she was taken.


Alex is actually someone we've seen before. Her full name is Alexandra and she is Daniel's daughter (or the french lady...). She's the one that helped Claire escape when she was kidnapped. It's in season 2 and in the episode when Claire is trying to remember what happened to her after she was kidnapped.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when i was watching all of season two and I saw Alex. When I started thinking about it I thought maybe Ben is related to Alex in some way but after thinking about it for a while it seemed far fetched.

Ben is also my favorite character. There's just something about him that makes me like him. There are just so many things to like about him.
I love the part when Ben came in and asked to take a walk with jack and jack said "you say that like you're not going to put a bag over my head if I say no" and then Ben says simply "then don't say no" with this great smile. It's great.

Here's an interview that I linked to in the Ben: freedom fighter? thread:

http://tinyurl.com/ykxknk

Coupla interesting bits:Crave Online: At the end of season two, Ben said you were the good guys. Are you disappointed Ben has become a villain?

Michael Emerson: Oh, I don't know that he's any more a villain than he ever was, to tell you the truth. I'm still holding out hope that when the details of his real mission are revealed, we're going to think he's a little more heroic than we have.

Crave Online: I believed him and I'm waiting for that big switcheroo.

Michael Emerson: At the very least, I think he meant what he said. Now, whether his point of view is skewed by his life's experience or not, I don't know but I think he believes himself to be a good man and he's under some pressure. He's fighting some kind of war. I can't tell exactly what it is but he has a terrible responsibility I thinkYes, I'd love it if that was the direction his character went.Crave Online: What's your Lost theory?

Michael Emerson: Well, I don't know. I have thought right along that Benjamin Linus and his people are rebels or renegades or freedom fighters of some sort and that they are at war with whoever the real powers were that built and control the island. But I don't have a lot of evidence for that either. That's just sort of a feeling I have. I do feel like there are worse people out there than the others. I don't know if worse is the right word. That implies a sort of value judgment. Maybe I should say there are scarier people out there than the OthersI believe TPTB have promised to show just that, scarier stuff out there.Crave Online: How do you keep such a calm demeanor?

Michael Emerson: I'm not really sure. I just tried to be a good listener and I think Ben is a very careful person and he doesn't need to fly off the handle ever or betray his inner feelings because he's a great plannerYes, a Man with a Plan.I think this is one of the things that makes him kind of interesting is that he's colder than the average person and maybe Americans are just, that sort of gets Americans. I think underneath it all we're very sentimental people and we're most comfortable when people are emotional. Although we tend not to like our heroes to be emotional, there's something about a cool demeanor that gives people pauseIt's one of the reasons I love Ben: he's the opposite of Jack and James and all them, he's "cold" as Michael says. I love the UK and British people and they often seem "cold" to my fellow Yanks because of the stereotypical reserve. I'll always remember this one scene in The Real World: Paris --hey, stop laughing-- where the Irish* guy sees the rest of the cast, all Americans, jumping up and down and screaming about something (fiinding out what their job was going to be?) and in a voiceover saying "Why do Americans get so excited about everything?" and I totally know what he meant.

I love Ben, he's my favorite character.

* Yes, I know the Republic is not the UK or British, work with me here, 'mkay? :)

Wow! Great find on the interview! Loved it. Where do you find this stuff?
(PS...Jeremy, you have 815 posts! :shock1: You are cursed!)

I feel a bit more comfortable knowing (or at least believing) Ben won't die too soon. But then again, who knows. I like Juliet so far, but all I know know is if she's somehow responsible for his demise, all I can say is :rant:

(PS...Jeremy, you have 815 posts! You are cursed!)[Leonard voice, really fast] 4 8 15 16 23 42 4 8 15 16 23 42 4 8 15 16 23 42 4 8 15......

Hahahahaha.Where do you find this stuff?I first saw it from the Michael Emerson fan page, but it's shown up in the spoiler section here too:

http://www.michaelemerson.net/

I love the interview, I think it's got some fascinating stuff in it; Michael obviously has a good read on his character at this point, though he seems to be as in the dark about larger plot point as we are (like I think all of the actors are).

Here's an interview that I linked to in the Ben: freedom fighter? thread:

http://tinyurl.com/ykxknk

Coupla interesting bits:Yes, I'd love it if that was the direction his character went.I believe TPTB have promised to show just that, scarier stuff out there.Yes, a Man with a Plan.It's one of the reasons I love Ben: he's the opposite of Jack and James and all them, he's "cold" as Michael says. I love the UK and British people and they often seem "cold" to my fellow Yanks because of the stereotypical reserve. I'll always remember this one scene in The Real World: Paris --hey, stop laughing-- where the Irish* guy sees the rest of the cast, all Americans, jumping up and down and screaming about something (fiinding out what their job was going to be?) and in a voiceover saying "Why do Americans get so excited about everything?" and I totally know what he meant.

I love Ben, he's my favorite character.

* Yes, I know the Republic is not the UK or British, work with me here, 'mkay? :)


I'm not phased at all by Ben's coolness, I just see him as very controlled and careful. It's a survival trait - he has good reason to be like that given all the hostility he has from his own people, let alone the Losties!

At least he's not pretending to be nice about it. Compare that with Juliet's little game and how she comes over all sweet with Jack. One *serious* ice-maiden. :rolleyes:

I saw an interview with him and Ian Lee asked him how it was to be the scariest man on television and he seemed kind of...hurt! He said "not scariest, but maybe most misunderstood"

Lots of people don't think your scary we just don't quite trust you yet:biggrin:
:heartben:

I haven't commented before but I just LOVE the character if Ben. When he was first introduced & we didn't initially know if he was an Other or not, I was praying he would be. He was far too smart & calm not to be.

He has brought so much to the show & the part is brilliantly played by Michael Emmerson. In an extremely original show, he is such a convincing character. That is such a difficult thing to pull off!

Also, he frightens the life out of me & that doesn't happen too often!

I saw an interview with him and Ian Lee asked him how it was to be the scariest man on television and he seemed kind of...hurt! He said "not scariest, but maybe most misunderstood"

Lots of people don't think your scary we just don't quite trust you yet:biggrin:
:heartben:

Well said! :biggrin: :heartben: too! He's so great. I don't think he's scary like some do. I never found him "creepy" in Season Two either. Well, he was kinda creepy when he smiled in "S.O.S." as Locke was banging on the door and yelling at him whether he pushed the button or not.

I don't think he's scary like some do. I never found him "creepy" in Season Two either. Well, he was kinda creepy when he smiled in "S.O.S." as Locke was banging on the door and yelling at him whether he pushed the button or not.

No, I wouldn't use "scary" or "creepy" either.
In S2 I always found him kind of cool and intriguing, and smart, very smart. Just the way he plays Jack and Locke in those few eps - so clever and seemingly effortless. I love the way he could turn the nice/nasty sides of the Henry Gale character on and off so quickly.

He does the same thing in S3. A favourite example is in TCOL when he asks Jack to do the op. Ben seems genuinely anxious/scared when he's asking Jack to save his life: "all I can ask is that you think about it", but then barely misses a beat before coming back at him with the emotional blackmail: "Do you believe in God, Jack?". Priceless. :biggrin:

Ok...I'll admit he looks kind of cool....but he is a liarrrrrrrr and an OTHER!!!!!.....still I think he is a great character which in someway is creepy but not for long.....jack's gonna take care of him!!!!!

.but he is a liarrrrrrrr
Jack: liar
John: liar
Kate: liar
James: liar
Hugo: liar
Charlie: liar
Sun: liar
Michael: liar
Walt: liar
Vincent: liar :)

Can't think of anything in particular for Jin and Sayid off the bat, but I'll update the list if I do. :)and an OTHER!!!!!Good thing, too, or the Losties would really be in trouble.

I'm not phased at all by Ben's coolness, I just see him as very controlled and careful. It's a survival trait - he has good reason to be like that given all the hostility he has from his own people, let alone the Losties!

Another sort of dead thread I am posting to. :undecide: :ohwell: I agree it is a survival trait but I don't think it is to protect him from his own people. I see Ben as a protector. His whole life Ben has had it drummed into his head by his father (Jacob) that it is his duty to protect his people (conjecture on my part of course). To accomplish this impossible task, Ben has turned to control as a way to protect. If he can control everything they do, he can protect them. If he can control everything he does, he can protect himself. Jack must save everyone to get daddy's approval but Ben must protect everyone for same. Jack saves by being perfect, Ben protects by being controlling.

I think Ben is protecting his people from some other powerful group on the island. When Ben went on his little hike with Sawyer he talks of cons and says something like -You're good. We’re better. So Ben considers his people to be con artists which implies there is some other group to con.
-The tattered clothes and disguises must be an attempt to fool someone (probably into underestimating the sophistication of Ben's group).
-Then there are all the thugs er guards and all the guns. I think the guns are needed for protection.

The show runners and characters have hinted that something big is coming. Perhaps Ben is trying to protect his group with guns and cons from those who do not want the big something to be completed. Ben, the protector and defender of good.:coolorng::angel:

His whole life Ben has had it drummed into his head by his father (Jacob) that it is his duty to protect his people (conjecture on my part of course)I really, really, really want to find who Jacob is. There's speculation that he's an employee of The Hanso Foundation, but hopefully he's a little more "Island/been there a while" based.I think Ben is protecting his people from some other powerful group on the island. Patchy? DHARMA dead-enders? I thought it was interesting, in LTDA, how Kelvin and Desmundo considered The Others the "hostiles"; at that point, I'd assumed The Others = DHARMA. Juliet's "That was a long time ago" in response to Jack speculating that they were DHARMA in ATOTC was also interesting.-The tattered clothes and disguises must be an attempt to fool someone (probably into underestimating the sophistication of Ben's group)Good job, then, they had me fooled until Maternity Leave, when Kate found Tom's costume and beard in the Staff.-Then there are all the thugs er guards and all the guns. I think the guns are needed for protectionI think there's a distinct hierarchy among Ben's group: the "scientists" who live in Otherville and bake muffins and don't like Stephen King novels and so on and the muscle who live on Pala, where the Hydra is (the barracks). Tom seems to move between the two, whereas, say, Danny is strictly "muscle". Perhaps Ben is trying to protect his group with guns and cons from those who do not want the big something to be completedAh, good point! I hope it doesn't take as long as it's taken to find why John was in a wheelchair to find out what the Big Thing actually is.Ben, the protector and defender of good"We're the good guys, Michael". C'mon why would Ben lie about *that*? :) :biggrin:

It's one of the reasons I love Ben: he's the opposite of Jack and James and all them, he's "cold" as Michael says. I love the UK and British people and they often seem "cold" to my fellow Yanks because of the stereotypical reserve. I'll always remember this one scene in The Real World: Paris --hey, stop laughing-- where the Irish* guy sees the rest of the cast, all Americans, jumping up and down and screaming about something (fiinding out what their job was going to be?) and in a voiceover saying "Why do Americans get so excited about everything?" and I totally know what he meant.

* Yes, I know the Republic is not the UK or British, work with me here, 'mkay? :)

Ben's coolness is one of the things that I love about him. And it's not just him that I love this trait in. Quite a few of the characters I've really loved have been controlled, calm, and collected.

Though as an American who's lived in Northern Ireland and is now in England, I have to disagree with you that Americans are somehow more excitable. I know that stereotype is there, but I just...don't see it. :)