How does his exit tonight differ from the other times he has obviously left the island via similar methods. I mean, we certainly were led to believe that he had plopped down in Tunisia before... Will the Island, or Jacob, really use its power to keep him away? And if so, is he screwing over the O6, if they indeed MUST go back?

Knowing Ben it was probably another lie... or a variation of the truth... he can never come back, until the Island calls him.

Actually, when they showed him moving the island in this episode, he presumably ends up where we saw him in Tunisia, with the arm wound and wearing the same coat. All of his appearances in the flashforwards take place after he turns the wheel under the orchid. There hasn't been any evidence that he has been able to return to the island.

ETA: I just realized that I misunderstood your statement. Okay, so obviously he was able to go to and from the island in the past, since he had the fake i.d.s and stuff. I can only assume that his method of transport differed from turning the Orchids' wheel, but now that he has turned the wheel, the other method of transport isn't available anymore.
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Yeah a lot of questions arose in my mind during the scene where Ben is turning the wheel. The expression on his face gave me the impression that he was definitely being banished from the island, he was practically crying.

But this is Ben. He obviously has traveled to-and-from the island before. He definitely knew where he was when he landed in the desert. Here's another question, why was he the only one that apparently traveled to the future? Did anyone else on the island travel as well?

So many questions! Luckily we have enough time to think them over.

We have already seen what happened after ben turned the wheel-he went to Tunisia-remember-the first thing he did when he stood up in that episode (before killing those bedouins) was remove a halliwax parka and tie a wound on his arm(that he got when he fell down the ladder tonite.)

That line made me really sad actually. Ben belongs on the island and the thought of him banished was depressing to me. However, I agree in that he very well could have been lying or at least bending the truth in some way.

Right, after he turns the wheel he ends up in Tunisia,....where he has a room on standing reservation. He's been there BEFORE. He's travelled this way before, and managed to find his way back.

I think he might have been manipulating Locke, as usual.

However, I do also think he might have been telling the truth. His conversation with Widmore and his expression while turning the wheel lead me to believe that.

If the Orchid harnesses the power of the island's natural powers, it could easily be that turning the wheel spits him out at one of a select few (or several) locations, which are the same locations he would end up at by using the Orchid station itself.

Getting back is still tricky though, let's say that Tom used the Orchid to leave...maybe the sub was operational at that time? Maybe the timeline of events is: Tom is seen during Ben's operation, leaves island and checks on Michael, returns to be seen throwing the ol' pigskin around with Jack? So Ben could have used the Orchid before, and then gotten picked up by the sub at a later date.

It's clear that it will be more difficult for him to get back - the island has moved to a new unknown location, and the Losties disabled the various means Dharma had used to guide the sub to the island. But I don't see why he would be banished in the sense of not *allowed* to come back. It should be easy enough for John the leave the island in it's new location and figure out where it is. And it appears that he did that very thing. And Ben has some ideas for getting back to the island with Jack. So he probably just meant that he would be thrown off the island and wouldn't be able to figure out where it's new location was.

I think he will return to the island.