Things that may disappoint…
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By ProfOzone
- Things that may disappoint…
- Created: May 10, 2007
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 3.15: Left Behind
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
I realize that I might be better off concluding that Ben just isn’t as good a con man as many of us liked to think, and I’ve given that a lot of thought. But for now… I just can’t buy that…
— ProfOzone
The 5/9 episode suggested several directions for the plot to travel from this point forward. I can’t guess which direction will actually be taken, but I can list a few that would disappoint me some.
The recorder — Ben revealed the recorder to John, even told him what was on it and what it was for, EVEN let John see where he hid it (in an unlocked drawer), probably knew that John would fail his test and be left behind and thus feel resentful toward Ben… aaaaaaaaand yet he was shocked that the recorder was missing? Sorry, folks, but this doesn’t sound like the guy who had Juliet’s infiltration of the beach planned clear back since the abduction of Claire. Either we find out that he intended for the recorder to make it to the beach, or at least that he had a contingency plan, or there is something seriously wrong here. Now, the problem can be fixed if we learn that Ben’s amazing foresight and cleverness must be credited to someone else… a someone who he wouldn’t have expected to hold out on him, such that he truly was caught off guard by John. Perhaps Jacob?
Richard — Ben is pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes, always a step ahead of everyone, and currently he’s running a con on John, trying to embarrass him and whatnot… buuuuut one of Ben’s closest confidants barely hides his complicity with John when he hands him the folder on Sawyer? I realize that the closer and advisor is the bolder he can be without being found out, but… come on! Too easy! I think it makes perfect sense for people dealing with Ben to want to pull a coup, but everything we’ve seen with Ben so far suggests that such a thing would be supremely difficult to pull off, and you wouldn’t just sit up on a hill and talk frankly with a “mark” and out in the open hand him information he’s clearly not supposed to have. Again… if Ben was getting help from someone to pull off some of his elaborate cons and that person isn’t feeding him insight anymore… well, then maybe I can see that Richard’s behavior is legit. Even more so, I suppose, if Richard himself was the talent behind Ben’s work. But we’ll see. If it turns out that Ben was just duped in a somewhat casual way… that’ll seem off to me.
Juliet — Since the moment Juliet showed up it’s been obvious that she can choose any side she wants, so I’ve never had a preference as to whose side she joins. But if she doesn’t think Ben has a way off the island then she better have given him some VERY good reason for her wanting to help him with the beach job. I just can’t imagine he’d enlist her help unless he thought he was promising her something that she wouldn’t possibly throw away. Now, let’s say he promised her a way off the island, but she had some way of finding out there IS no such way, so then she decides to allow him to believe that she believes him so that she can exact a little revenge from the beach… that I could believe. But if Ben trusted her without some big thing waiting in the wings to promise her… I don’t think I can buy that.
Actually, there are a few more things I could list, but I imagine they may be a tad more controversial than these, so let’s leave the list at this length for now.
Bottom line: About the only way the plot can go at this point in order not to seem like a copout is… Someone (perhaps Jacob) who Ben really trusted was helping him con everyone but the big con was really on Ben himself. Soon it will become obvious that all of the things Ben thought was accomplishing HIS objectives (including the destruction of the Flame Station and the sub) has actually been working against him. The con is almost finished, so Richard can be somewhat bold, not worried about John giving away his activities (as John did twice). And Ben, seeing things fall apart in just the past couple days, finally starts to figure out he’s been had when John shows up with Cooper’s body… and Jacob sends a private message to John.
OR… Juliet ends up being on Ben’s side after all, the rest of the con against John plays itself out (if he survived) and Jack loses face big-time, causing political fortunes on the beach to take some major shifts.
But… as I’ve confessed in previous posts and comments… at this point it seems as though anything goes.
(In anticipation of certain criticisms: I realize that I might be better off concluding that Ben just isn’t as good a con man as many of us liked to think, and I’ve given that a lot of thought. But for now… I just can’t buy that…)
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben | Benjamin Linus | 3.20, 4.9, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1717 |
Maybe there was two recorders…just a thought though, Richard didn’t take it to the arrow the day before. So maybe him and John have some plan or something…when Ben said he wouldn’t take john to Jacob, John suggested Richard could take him and Ben got pretty worked up from that. Go Richard
That’s one of the two times John nearly gave Richard away… once when John mentioned Ben trying to embarrass him, and then again when he suggested that Richard might take him to Jacob.
Too easy, I say!
Finally a thread with some thought put into it! Not you I mean this site has seemingly gone to the birds lately…to the point… Are you suggesting that Jacob may be playing Ben for the patsy…Are you thinking he might be setting the stage for John to “take the reigns” of the island? Or maybe Richard? I’ve been wondering about Richard since he handed that folder to Locke, what are his true intentions.. is he just a Ben henchman or maybe he’s using Ben to be his frontman? After the insight last nights ep I started thinking that Richard might be more than just a “stooge”. He poses some interesting questions as to the heirarchy on the island if you ask me.
tharde… what if Jacob is Richard’s father… and now Richard is trying to help Jacob get out from under Ben’s thumb?
Ohhhhhhhhh, thank God for you, ProfO!!!
Remember what we have learned about the long con. That in order to do this successfully, involves making the person seem as though it were his/her own idea. Me thinks Ben is the one being conned now!
Outstanding post. I feel the same way about Richard. I did not really remember who he was until the episode when he handed Locke the folder on Sawyer. He has obviously been on that island longer the Ben, and he does not age!! How can a true island native like Richard (If he is a true native) let a kid like Ben lead. Ben’s leadership seems false. He was never the true leader!! Richard let him lead for whatever reason…which..I do not know. I am waiting for an episode that will show some flash backs about Richard!! How old is he? So many questions about this Richard. He has become extremely important.