(Group 1: Lockdown) How Extensive the Benipulation?
+4 4 Votes
Rate it:
By jazprof
- (Group 1: Lockdown) How Extensive the Benipulation?
- Created: Oct 23, 2007
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 3.22: Through The Looking Glass
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
Ben is just masterly in this episode, but certain things happen in the episode to aid and abet him—in particular Jack getting involved in the card game—and I can’t see how he’s managing to make those things happen. I know….synchrofreakinicity!
— jazprof
Ben is just masterly in this episode, but certain things happen in the episode to aid and abet him—in particular Jack getting involved in the card game—and I can’t see how he’s managing to make those things happen. I know….synchrofreakinicity!
First a carryover from the last episode—I was asking the questiion, why does Ben say to Jack and Locke that if he were one of the others that he would have laid a trap for Ana, Sayid & Charlie when in fact there is no trap. Answer—because it makes Jack mad at Locke for letting Ana Lucia talk to Ben and it gets Jack out of the hatch to look for Ana. Then as soon as Jack leaves he says to Locke “Why do you let him talk to you like that?” Both Jack and Locke have their main fear/interests played on—some of the manipulation as in the above, obviously coming from Ben—some of it more mysterious.
Jack—fear for the safety of his people. Played on first by what Ben says about what he would do if he was an other. Then diverted by Libby coming up with the need for neosporin—Jack still acting to protect the group, but then with the addition of competing with and besting Sawyer. What Kate says to him here plays on that “fun’s not bad…you should try it some time.” By staying to play the game, Jack doesn’t head back to the hatch as he intended. If he had, the whole intereaction between Ben and Locke wouldn’t have happened. So it doesn’t seem possible that Ben causes Jack to get diverted by the card game, but it sure works in Ben’s favor.
Some odd things about that game—how does Jack know what Sawyer and Hurley have in their hands when he walks up? Sawyer says “Think you’re in my head, Doc?” And Jack never falters here, even at the end “When I need the guns, I’ll get the guns”—does Jack have an ability to read people that he’s not even consciously aware of? And who taught him to play cards in Phuket?
Kate coming after Jack afterwards and telling him she’s glad he beat Sawyer—also a con?
Locke—Ben plays on Locke feeling pushed around by Jack, and then on the idea that it is Locke’s hatch. The Lockdown itself—is that being directed by the Others? The other thing that comes over loudspeakers is Christian’s voice telling Jack to “let it go” so I suspect that the same person/group is responsible for both. I think originally the lockdown’s purpose is to keep the inhabitants of the Swan from coming out when the “food drops” are made—but I don’t think they are food drops—I think the food is being brought up from underground and that’s why the people need to be kept indoors—so that they don’t see there is no plane or helicopter making the drops.
The other purpose of the lockdown here, and Ben’s delaying tactic of “falling” on his way up into the vent—to get Locke to see the blast door map: http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Image:Blastdoor001.jpg.
The main thing from the flashback that I got: 1) it shows how strong Locke’s need for belief is and 2) perhaps suggests that the 2nd Cooper death could also be a con.
Very odd line from the funeral: “For we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Don’t know what it means but made me think of 1) We who are about to die salute you and 2) live together, die alone.
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack | Jack Shephard | 1.1, 1.5, 2.11, 1.11, 1.16, 1.20, 3.9, 3.22, 3.1, 4.10, 4.12, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1460 |
| John | John Locke | 3.3, 2.17, 1.4, 1.19, 3.13, 3.19, 4.11, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1248 |
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.17 | Lockdown | 3-29-2006 | John | 150 |
Forgot to mention that Ben and Locke look alike in this episode with Ben’s similar scratch across the right eye.
Excellent work Jaz. I think this is the first episode in which we see concrete evidence of Benipulation. He is clearly trying to cause a rift between Jack and Locke - is his only purpose to drive a wedge between them and bring Locke to him? Strange because at this stage we don’t know about Ben’s cancer but presumably he does?
@ btw I googled that quote from the funeral and it is from Thessalonians 4:17 and refers to the rapture….
“For we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”
It’s from 1st Thessalonians verse 17 and is referring to the Rapture of the Church.
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
I have heard it quoted at a few funerals. I’m not sure if their is any significance to the storyline of LOST, but it does deal with the dead rising.
Sham we’s on the same page! I remembered it from Job. You said you’d read that didn’t you?
Yep! I remembered from reading Thessalonians.
the Rapture, eh? I did think in reference to “who are left” of that “Left Behind” book series, but I didn’t mention it ‘cause I would be so disappointed if that’s what Lost turned out to be about.
Jazzie, Ben needed and wanted the “hatch” destroyed, so his intent all along was to press “Locke’s button”, pun intended, so he would set things in motion. I believe Ben was on his way there, before he, unintentionally got caught got up in Danielle’s net.
I definitely think, that there is something strange about the death of Cooper. I hope he isn’t resurrected at “the temple”. oooooh, scary!
We know that Ben has successfully been able to manipulate Locke into doing much of his bidding, while his hands remain clean! I think Locke is going to be in for a big surprise when he arrives there! +1
Actually, that text is often used to dispute a “left behind” interpretation of “the rapture” because it refers to the resurrection of the dead and how this group and the group of “living saints” will be brought to God. Cross-referencing this text with some texts in Revelation suggests that the “wicked dead” are resurrected and judged at a later time (including those “unworthy” who were struck dead by the Glory of Christ’s return to retrieve the dead and living “saints”).
All of that said… I tend to think the text is just a popular one read at funerals, although I’ll admit that I had to ask them to read it at my Mom’s funeral…
Great analysis as usual, though, Jaz…
You and I could probably have some interesting discussions Prof. Terms like post-trib, mid-trib, and pre-trib come to mind. :)