Lost 5.10.05 "The Merchant of Death"

Once again, my brilliant sister has come up with her version of what might have/could happen. Enjoy fake Lost episode #2 :)

Previously on Lost:

The clip of Annie giving Ben his birthday present – Ben telling Jack he has to go somewhere before they can leave – Sun smashing Ben on the head – Sayid shooting younger Ben.


Ben enters a room where a nice dinner party is going on. He goes up to a younger woman who is sitting down, drinking, talking quietly with another woman.

Ben: Can I talk to you for a moment.

Woman: Yes.

Ben: Privately.

Woman: Why would I go anywhere with a stranger?

Ben: [smiles an evil Ben smile] Because you can trust me.

The woman stands and they walk outside where there are musicians. Ben asks her to dance with him.

Ben: It’s a fine evening we’re having.

Woman: A strange man comes up to me, asks to talk to me privately, then asks me to dance with him, and all he’s going to talk about is the weather?

Ben: Yes, I suppose that does seem a little odd.

Woman: (tilting her head) Did you ever realize your face is crooked?

Ben: What?

Woman: Your face is crooked. (smiles) It’s kinda’ cute.

Ben: (stopping dancing) Annie, you have to go back to the island.

Annie: (sudden realization dawns upon her face) Ben? (She gapes at him, wondering what she has done – she just called Ben cute.)

Ben: I know you’re not going to want to believe me, but it’s imperative that you return to the island.

Annie: Go back? Are you insane? You told me to leave the island. You said it wasn’t safe there. You made me leave my home, you made me leave you. Why on earth would I go back?

Ben: I don’t know, Annie. All I know is that you need to go back.

Annie: (steps away) No, Ben. After I came back here I had no family, no friends. It took me years to be able to create some sort of life, and I’m happy here. (shakes head.) I’m not going back. (she walks away.)

[Fwooooooomp] LOST

Ben on island. He comes staggering out of the jungle.

Random Dude: Whoa man. Are you all right?

Ben: (who is obviously bleeding and not alright, because Ben is always getting beat up) Oh yes, I’m perfectly fine. Now where is John Locke?

Random Dude: Who?

Ben: John Locke. He is here isn’t he?

Random Dude: I don’t know, man. I was just in a plane crash. I don’t know anybody’s name. Heck, I’m not even sure I know my name.

Ben: He’s bald.

Random Dude: Oh! That guy. (shrugs) Haven’t seen him.

Ben: (aggravated by inferior idiots that he must rub shoulders with. He says nothing but walks away)

Random Dude: What should I tell him if I see him?

Ben: Nothing.

[Fwooooooooomp]

Annie enters her apartment. She closes and locks the door behind her. When she turns around Ben is there. (Creepy!) She does not seem fazed by this.

Annie: Hello Ben.

Ben: (picking up something from a dresser.) I thought you didn’t bring anything with you from the island.

Annie: (walking over toward him) It wasn’t from the island.

Ben: (turns on a lamp, you can see what Ben is holding. It’s the wooden character Annie carved him for his birthday.) I thought you forgot about me. You did a good job of creating a new life for yourself. (He looks around her apartment) It’s quite impressive.

Annie: (takes the figure from his hands) Why are you here Ben?

Ben: (taking a note from his pocket and placing it in her hand, curling her fingers around it) Just in case you change your mind.

Annie: You know I won’t.

Ben: (shrugs) It doesn’t hurt to try.

Annie: (laughs quietly and then bites her lip.) No, I suppose not.

Ben: I suppose I should get going. (Walks over to the door)

Annie: Good-bye, Ben.

(You hear the door close. There’s a moment when the camera pans around Annie. She walks over to the window and looks out. You see Ben walk into the street. Annie opens her cell phone and dials a number.)

Annie: He just left. (There’s a pause while the other person talks. Annie unfolds the piece of paper) He’s going to the pier.

[Fwooooooooomp]

Ben on the island. He walks along the beach towards the plane. He is bleeding here too, because Sun hit him in the head. Ilana, the Guam chick sees him and runs toward him and punches him in the face.

Ceaser: (pulling her away from Ben) Whoa, whoa, whoa. What is going on here?

Ilana: You killed my brother you venomous creep!

Ben: (tired of getting beat up) I did nothing of the sort.

Ilana: I swear to you, you pig, I will cut out your entrails, pull out your heart, and feed it to the dogs.

Ben: Well then, I guess it’s good there’re no dogs here.

(Ilana lunges at him, But Ceasar holds him back, though the rest of the people on the island aren’t sure why. This is the most interesting thing that has happened so far. They were hoping a fight might break out.)

Locke: (walking up, looking at Ben all confused like, because he’s confused.) Ben? Why are you here?

Ben: You don’t know? Huh, I’m surprised the Island hasn’t told you yet.

Ilana: This man is a murderer and he should die!

Locke: Now calm down, Ana Lucia look alike. (He turns to Ben, still confused.) Are you real? (he pokes Ben.)

Ben: Yes, John. I am real.

Locke: Nope. (Locke crosses his arms.) I don’t think you are.

Ben: (His face is saying: What?! Of course I’m real!?) But I am, John.

Locke: If you’re real, then why did that plane crash, why are these people standing here, and why (he is lookin’ straight at Ben) would I be standing here.

Ben: You’re special, John. I told you that.

Locke: Yes, yes you did. Right before you decided to kill me.

Ben: You were going to kill yourself anyway.

Ilana: I told you he was a killer!

Ben: But I got you back here, didn’t I? It was the only way.

Locke: No, I’m done listening to your lies. (He waves at Ceasar.) You can let her go now.

Ceasar: What?

Locke: Let her go. This man is a killer and a liar, just like she said.

(Ceaser lets her go. Ilana is about to punch Ben.)

Locke: Oh, but before you do anything, you might want to know that he’s the only one who knows how to get you off this island. (He walks away. Ilana, Ceasar, and Ben, stare at him. Ben follows Locke up the beach.)

Ben: I appreciate what you did back there, John. I know it must have been hard for you. Sticking up for me.

Locke: I didn’t stick up for you. (stopping and turning to face Ben.) And I’m not protecting you.

Ben: Then what were you doing, John. If you don’t want to kill me, and you’re not going to listen to me, then what are you going to do with me? People always want answers. Can you give these people the answers they’re looking for? (Ben motions to the beach behind them) I can. Let me help you.

Locke: What makes you think I need your help? (He looks out over the ocean.)

Ben: You’re special John, but not that special.

Locke: (smiles his old Locke smile) I don’t need you Benjamin. (He points towards the Spanish Chick.) Good luck with your new friend. (Walks off)

[Fwoooooooomp]

Ben walks up a dark alley. He hears someone coming and he hides in a corner. The man trailing him walks by and Ben shoots him. He continues walking as if, hey, no big deal, I kill people all the time. He comes to a pier and he starts trailing someone. That someone stops under a streetlight and turns around. It’s Desmond! He’s not dead! Woo-hoo!

Desmond: What are you doing here Ben? I thought you and your mates were going back on your three hour tour.

Ben: Oh, we’re still going. I was wondering if you wanted to join us.

Desmond: That’s a lie, and we both know it. Don’t lie to me, Ben.

Ben: (smiles) I never lie, Desmond.

Desmond: You’re here to kill Penny, but I won’t let you.

Ben: Who told you that?

Desmond: An old friend of mine.

Ben: (laughs) Ha. And did this dear old friend of yours happen to tell you that not only am I going to kill Penny, but I’m also a raving lunatic from Mars? Really, Desmond, you should be more careful about who you’re listening to.

Desmond: And you, brother, should leave me bloody well alone.

Ben: Did Widmore tell you I was going to kill Penny?

Desmond: (Being the wise person that he is, Desmond does not respond.)

Ben: He lied, Desmond. He only wants to hurt you. I’m here to help you.

Desmond: And how are you going to do that?

Ben: Come back to the Island. It’s only there that I can help you.

Desmond: I don’t think so. (Turns around)

Ben: (sighs) I’m sorry, Desmond, I truly am. (Pulls out a gun and points it at Des’ back.)

Desmond spins around and does a round-house kick to Ben’s face. The gun goes flying, Ben stumbles backwards. Desmond punches Ben in the face. Ben tries to fight back, but he’s a wimp and always gets beat up. Ben is angry. He tries to hit Desmond. Desmond breaks Ben’s arm.

Desmond: Stay away from my Penny. (He walks away. And Ben is bleeding. Hooray!)

[Fwoooooooomp]

(Ben on the Island. He’s making himself a little tent. Ilana comes up and takes his tarp.)

Ben: You’re welcome.

Ilana: What did you say to me? (walks over and gets all up in his face)

Ben: I said you’re welcome.

Ilana: For what?

Ben: Killing your brother. He was a lousy golfer.

Ilana: (Is about to strike him when Ben goes all pale, and gasps, and falls over.)

Caesar: (walking by.) What just happened?

Ilana: I don’t know, he just passed out. (Caesar gives her a look.) I’m serious!

Caesar: Come on, let’s take him to the others. (He grabs his shoulders and she grabs his legs.)

[Fwoooooomp]

(The pier. Annie walks up to Desmond who is getting into his boat. He turns toward her.)

Annie: Desmond? I need to talk to you.

The Lost Trinity

Someone over on Nikki Stafford's blog mentioned that they kind of consider Christian to be the "Holy Ghost" figure of Lost. You know, guiding, directing, leading people the way they're supposed to go.

I was thinking about that today and, sacrilegious as it may seem, I've come up with the "trinity" of Lost. With a few addendum characters.

Holy Ghost: Christian. I think they've got that one.

The Son: Locke. Obviously. I mean, he dies and then comes back to life and shows himself to people. He's always trying to lead people into the truth of the Island.

The Father: Jacob/the Island. He can't be seen. He only reveals himself to a few people - most of whom make sense- Locke, Ben (he'll make sense in a minute), Christian.

Satan: Ben. Haha. He is the ultimate deceiver, always bringing temptation into people's lives. It even shows in his reaction to Jacob. He reveres him, but mocks him. He does his best to keep everyone else away from Jacob.

Gabriel: Richard! He is the messenger angel. He does the bidding....Actually, wait. He helps both sides out. Or so it seems. I mean, there are definitely times it looks like he's working for Ben. Okay, Richard requires a little more thought.

Anyway. There's my thoughts on this.

Update:
Actually, on further thought and further blogging, I have changed my mind about Ben. He is not Satan, but the antiChrist. He took over where Locke was supposed to be the leader. He (hopefully) miraculously recovers from being shot by Sayid. This could have some major ramifications for his "specialness" in the eyes of the Others. Perhaps it is one way that he comes in as a leader, much the way the antiChrist is supposed to.

Lost in sand

This week I'm on vacation with my family at the Outer Banks. Every year we make a big sandcastle. This was this year's....

However, this year my sister and I got my parents hooked on Lost. We're almost done with the 3rd season and we've watched about 10 episodes in 3 days. So when we were down at the beach my sister and I started making Lost sand sculptures and my parents joined in. Theses are most definitely not to scale or in any kind of order. And really not supposed to be accurate, just fun. After all, how accurate can you be with sand :)

It all started when my sister started to dig a well. This one didn't come out as well, but if you look closely, there's a white spot at the bottom that's supposed to be Locke's head from when he fell down the well.

This is the beach and the dock where Sawyer, Kate, Jack and Hurley were tied up and had bags over their heads.

This is my representation of the temple that you only see for like 4 seconds total

This is the four toed statue. The leg kept collapsing, so it only has an ankle.

This is the hatch before it im/exploded. This is right after they blew it open and the hatch door is off the hole on the top left and there's the little log that they used to walk across to the hatch.

This is the Black Rock. hahahaha. My sister found it and we couldn't resist. :)

And this is my personal favorite. This one my Dad built. This is the mountain with the vines, the drug plane that crashed with the hatch underneath it. This is after Boone falls down and dies.

If you look closely you can see the hatch doors under the plane.

So that's pretty much it. We had fun and I thought other Losties would enjoy. :)

The Book Thief

I had heard so much about this book - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Tons of people come into the store to buy it and the title intrigued me, so I finally read it.

I wasn't too sure about it when I first started it. The way it is narrated was a bit confusing to me at the beginning, but once you adapt to it it makes for a very different and very interesting narrator.

The book is set in Germany during World War II, but is from a very different perspective than most WWII books. Especially YA or children's books. Almost all of the ones that I have read have been from a Jew's perspective. This one shows a different side. The main characters are Germans who didn't agree with Hitler, but were trying to survive just as much as anyone else during that time period. In that I found it a little reminiscent of John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which was a phenomenal book and was recently turned into a movie.

It definitely took me a little while to get into the book, but once I did I really enjoyed it. I am a weeper. I cry at books, tv shows, movies, touching stories. This book made me cry my eyes out at the end.

The most useless thing that I learned from this book? How to swear in German. I really could have gone without that knowledge in my life :)

Yes Man

So, I just finished reading Yes Man by Danny Wallace. I haven't seen the movie and, honestly, don't know if I want to see it. The book was semi-interesting to me, but I kind of had to force myself to finish it. The prologue was the funniest and most interesting part of the book to me.

It was a very thought-provoking idea. . . Saying yes to everything and anything that came his way. It definitely took him to some very interesting places. I have to admit I kind of wonder whether there are things that I say no to for no reason. Maybe we should all say yes a little bit more.

So, in that way the book was a success in that it made me look at the possibility of saying yes and wonder about what I have been missing by saying no.

Over all, though I couldn't really say that it was a book I thoroughly enjoyed. It was interesting (okay, third time I've said that, I know) and it had a valid point, but I didn't feel like it was really worth wading my way through the 371 pages to get to that point.

Is it time yet?

I understand that time travel is confusing. I understand that it makes everyone's head (including mine) feel like exploding. However, there are certain rules about it and it really should not give writers carte blanche to throw in whatever story line they want.

I love Lost. I love the writers on Lost. I love following Lost and putting together the pieces. I have faith that the writers are going to put most of these pieces together. But I have a few nitpicky things about time travel that I would just like to air.

It isn't consistant! Or it seems not to be.

When the Dharma Initiative is on the island there is no significant difference between time on the Island and time off the Island. They come and go regularly and don't seem to have a problem finding the Island. Travel to and from the Island is common place. No big deal.

When flight 815 lands, it appears that the plane has crashed in the same time period as when it left Sydney. I back this up by the fact that Juliet was recruited by the others 3 years before the Losties landed and Ethan was there, off Island, when that happened. He does not look much different than he does when he infiltrates the Losties, so three years makes sense to have passed.

When the freighter comes Daniel does some scientific tests and discovers that Island time is slightly different from off Island time. Not a major difference, but still a difference. We also know, because Lapidus (I think) tells us that it is hard to find the island. He has to use strict coordinates to get from the freighter to the Island and back again.

Here's one theory I'm throwing out there. It's all Ben's fault. :) And Locke's. :)
He tricks Charles into turning the wheel and leaving the Island. This is when the Island first starts to go a little funky. Now there is a slight time difference.

Enter the Losties, exit Desmond, return Desmond... Locke decides that the button isn't real and refuses to push it. The hatch im/explodes and the sky turns purple. Now the donkey wheel is messed up worse than when Charles left.

Jacob knows that Ben is not the right leader. He took the position from Charles and now he's trying to keep Locke from becoming the leader. Jacob tells Locke to turn the wheel to set everything right. Ben, as always, takes over and decides to turn the wheel instead. He pops it loose and now it's bouncing all over the place like insanity. Until Locke turns it and it goes back to real time.

The only problem is that the real time is in the 1970's. Okay fine. Now we can learn more about Dharma. Whatever. Ummmmmm, but the Oceanic 6 is in like 2007 and trying to get back to the island. They figure out where the island is going to be and fly over it. There is a flash and suddenly, at least three of them, are transported magically to the 70's as well?!

What?

If the wheel is fixed, shouldn't new people landing on the island end up in their own time period? That's what happened at the beginning when 815 crashed. Something just doesn't add up in my head for that.

There's more, but my brain just completely shut down, so perhaps I shall add it later if I can crystalize my thoughts.

Not on Jacob's List?

While rewatching Season 3, in the episode "I Do" I caught a comment, that I didn't pick up on the first time. In light of all that has happened since that episode this little phrase has been bugging me to death.

As Danny runs out of the Hydra station to go after Sawyer he says, "Shepard wasn't even on Jacob's list."

My immediate reaction... "WHAAAAAAATTTT!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!? (exactly like that)

So here are a few of my questions and ponderings about this statement...

• How did Danny know about Jacob's list? We all know that Michael was given a list of people to bring back from the other side of the island. The list included Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley. If this list was not Jacob's list, then whose list was it? The obvious answer is, it was Ben's list. However, Ben is the only one of the Others that we know is in contact with Jacob. If Ben changed the list, then why would anybody else know that Jacob's list was any different?
• Why was the list changed? Again, the obvious answer is that Ben added, or replaced someone with, Jack. Jack is a spinal surgeon and Ben needed spinal surgery. Therefore it makes sense that Ben would want Jack to come and perform the surgery. This is what we are led to believe and this seems to be the whole point of Michael bringing the group to the other side of the island. Jack was brought to do the surgery, Kate was brought to keep Jack in line and Sawyer was brought to keep Kate in line and to add that third dimension that would make Jack want to do the surgery. It all centers around the surgery. BUT...if Jack was not on the original list, then this could all be Ben's agenda and not the original purpose of the group at all.
• If Jack wasn't supposed to come who was? I wonder if Ben replaced Locke's name on Jacob's list with Jack's. Was Locke supposed to come instead? Was this supposed to be the beginning of Locke's journey into his role as the leader of the Others? Was Ben threatened by the fact that Jacob specifically asked for Locke and so he changed the list? What would have happened if Locke had been brought instead?
• If Jack wasn't on the list, who else got added? Were Kate and Sawyer on the list originally? Was the list completely different? I doubt it, because Danny says nothing about Ford or Austen not being on the list (though he is strangely and excessively hostile against Sawyer).
• And all of this brings me back to my original question... How did Danny know what Jacob's original list was!?
• Or was the line added simply to introduce us to another leader, someone higher than Ben? Was this just a cop out to introduce Jacob's character? That would make me really mad, but there are just so many inconsistencies with this that I can't figure it out. I really hope that some of this gets resolved before the end of it all, but who knows
• Maybe I'm just blowing one tiny little line all out of proportion. Lost does that to me :)

Penny, Desmond, Widmore vs. Sun, Jin, Mr. Paik

In season 3, when Desmond flashes back in time and asks Widmore for Penny's hand in marriage, I was suddenly struck by a striking similarity to the scene where Jin asks Mr. Paik for Sun's hand in marriage. These two groups of 3 have some serious similarities, but also some very important differences.

• Both fathers are owners/runners of large corporation type things (this is a technical term :)
• Both love their daughters and are extremely protective of them.
• Both daughters have fallen in love with someone from a lower "class" that their father does not approve of.
• Both men feel unworthy of the daughters and set out to try to prove to the father that they have what it takes to be worthy of the daughter.

Then there are the differences...

• Jin and Sun get married, while Desmond and Penny get separated for a long time
• Jin grovels at Mr. Paik's feet, willing to do almost anything to get into his good graces, while Desmond refuses to work for Widmore, though he then spends years trying to prove his worth, so I guess these are kind of similar
• Sun turns a blind eye to her father and what he does and what he is, while Penny flat out knows and tells Des that Widmore is a jerk and she doesn't care what he thinks.
• Sun has a serious dark side, which continues to come out more strongly ever since she shot Colleen in season 3. Penny is the epitome of goodness and, I think, the only character on this show that doesn't have a dark side.

All right, that's all I've got for now, but I think these are two very interesting dynamics and I have to wonder if they will continue to have some sort of parallel. After all, Sun bought out her father's company and then, kind of, joins up with Widmore. Those connections have to come to something. At least one would think, but with Lost you just never know.