Lost rewatch: "The Man Behind the Curtain" thinky thoughts

[amatara]

Oh, Ben. There's exactly one person who, at this point, could give your life some purpose again, and you just shot him in cold blood? All because you're too terrified of losing what you have (and, honestly, what do you have that's so worth killing John Locke for? Except for the "being in charge" part, which has to taste pretty stale by now, seeing as how Jacob gave you cancer. Besides, I thought it wasn't about you anyway, just about serving the Island? *ironic look*) to even consider what you could gain if you'd put aside your envy for just two seconds. You could have been glorious, dammit, you and him and the Island! And then of course, just a year later, just when we think you've learned, you have to go and do it again - only then there's no Deus Ex Machina around to bring him back. Talk about a waste. And now I don't even know if I want to punch you in the face or hug you to death! Ahhh - Ben, you glorious poor damaged woobie bastard, what you do to me.

Of course, it doesn't help that Locke is almost insufferably smooth about all of this, from the moment he plunks Anthony Cooper's body down at Ben's feet to the second Ben guns him in the tummy. I mean, walking around grinning and eating mangoes and generally acting like he already owns the place? Guess Sawyer killing his dad really relieved him of some issues here - or else it's a facade, but it sure doesn't look like that to me. And the sheer amount of nonchalance he displays in looking for Jacob, then afterwards following Ben to a mass grave without even once worrying about his intentions, is either hopelessly naive, or hopelessly overconfident, or both. Though, of course, one can debate the "over-" in "overcondifence", as in the end Locke was right and the island saved him. But he didn't look too convinced of that while he was lying in that ditch, bleeding to death. Speaking of which, I'd completely forgotten about this being the episode that happened in, and once again I totally didn't see it coming. Show, you remain fabulous.

Incidentally, about Jacob's cabin: I've read discussions recently about how it's supposedly Smokey's cabin and not Jacob's, but that doesn't make too much sense to me, not at this point in time anyway. Could anyone explain that theory? Regarding the white ashes around the cabin: as it seems Smokey's free to roam the island and so not confined to the area around the cabin (or is he?) I assumed the purpose of the ashes was to keep Smokey out rather than in. Also, we've only ever seen Smokey in his black-smoke shape or in a human body, never invisible. And the whole throwing a temper tantrum then wailing "help me" somehow seems more like a Jacob than a Smokey thing to me. If anything, Smokey always came across to me as direct, which this - really wasn't. Anyway, any discussion or clarification on this would be appreciated!

Little Ben, in the meantime, proves a marvelous casting choice (the little nerdy glasses, "Dr. Linus"-style! *awwww* Uh, it's probably not hard to tell I'm in a bit of a squeeing-over-Ben mood?). And I love how they wrote him as being the kind of child we can empathize with, but already with that hint of darkness around him. (Sending the bunny through the fence first? Bad form, Ben!) As for the scene where he killed his father, well... *shivers* What struck me most about that was how, even with Roger making an effort to be kind there at the end, that didn't seem to make a difference to Ben anymore. It looked like it all went right through him. Of course, Ben being Ben, you never quite know what's going on behind that stiff-lipped face of his, but still...

Finally, Ben's dead mom shows up, tempting him to sneak outside and make a pact with the Others. So who is she, anyway? His mom didn't die on the island, as Richard made a point of asking, so I'm assuming it's not Smokey this time. I'm also assuming Ben, contrary to some other characters, can't simply see dead people, so who is it that's pretending to be his mother? Jacob himself? It would make sense for Jacob to try and get Ben in touch with the Others, but can Jacob even do that? I'm confused.

Oh, and in the category of Silly Stuff That Makes Me Happy: I ran into this funny and heartwarming Ben 'n 'Locke video, which made for a great distraction amidst all the rewatch angst. Just the music is enough to make me feel all glowy inside. *grins and keeps grinning*

Also: signed up for Yuletide! For one of my requests there were no offers at all, I noticed today, but the others do, so I'll be good. And I dipped into some fandoms I've never written before, so I'm looking forward to that. Now, off to write my Dear Author Letter!

Comments

[selenak]

And now I don't even know if I want to punch you in the face or hug you to death!

As different as they are otherwise, Ben and Londo both are prone to evoke that reaction. :)

Re: Locke's attitude in the episode, I think in the camp it's at least partially to make a point because last time he was with the Others, Ben humiliated him in front of everyone, so he has status to regain. (Let's not forget, Locke spent most of his time being humiliated on a regular basis as well as kicked out of various communities, one reason why he values being needed by the original Lostaways for his hunting kills so much, and values the idea of his life having a point, of being chosen even more. He's just in the process of leaving the Castaways for the Others, and definitely does not want to be regarded as an incompetent fool there.

Doesn't mean I think all of the confidence is a bluff, on the contrary, I think at that point, with dad finally and irrevocably gone, and with the connection to the island he feels, Locke really is as confident as he gets. However, the reason why he doesn't suspect Ben of stabbing, err, shooting him in the back before Ben does is imo another: for all the rivalry, he has started to care for him. In the audio commentary I think one of the writers makes a comment about Locke beating up Nikolai to make a point and the other says "but not Ben himself because he'd never do that" (err, that makes Locke the only one who wouldn't in this ensemble of characters!). And yes, for all the backstory and even for Locke's own original sin of semi-symbolically sacrificing Boone the way his emotional make-up works is just that he doesn't think someone he cares about would kill him. Hurt him, sure, but not kill him.

BTW - this episode has a missing scene where Locke en route to Jacob's cabin brings up Alex and they talk about her a bit, with Ben admitting he never told her her mother is still alive (or that he abducted Alex to begin with), did you see that? It has Ben asking "if you had never found out who your father was, wouldn't you be happier?" which might actually be what he tells himself vis a vis the Alex and Rousseau situation at that point.

Ben's dead mother: is Smokey, imo. Smokey also shows up as Christian and Kate's step and biodad, both of whom didn't die on the island, so "dying on the island" isn't the only criteria. (Richard might think it is but then Richard's knowledge about Smokey is limited.)

Cabin: the ash around it is around the temple compound as well so yes, it's probably to keep Smokey out rather than in. (I did think it might be Smokey's cabin before we got the Smokey-kills-everyone-in-the-compound episode.) My current pet theory is that it's actually MOTHER's cabin and it's her soul/spirit/whatever that asks for help because her two boys have lost the island protecting plot eons ago. But that's personal fanwank!

[amatara]

Ben and Londo both are prone to evoke that reaction.

They so are. Also, they're both practically a lost cause at some point in canon, then end up redeeming themselves anyway but without getting the traditional happy ending in return. So there's definitely a pattern there. And I seem to rather consistently fall for characters in that category - e.g. Snape would be another example. (I suppose it's a good thing my tastes in fictional characters differ from my real-life ones, then. :) )

Locke's attitude I'm still in two minds about. I can certainly get his motivation to regain status among the Others, as well as a certain satisfaction in make Ben be the one to cringe for a change. But what bugged me just a little is how easily it all seemed to come to him, how smug he was about it. Even at his most confident, I have some trouble seeing Locke beat the crap out of an enemy with as much nonchalance as he displayed with Mikhail. He'd do it because it was necessary, sure, in order to make a point, but just for a second I felt like he was enjoying it too - maybe not the act in itself, but the sense of power that came with it. It's purely subjective, but during that whole episode there was one part of me that was cheering for Locke, and another part that was thinking, just a little, 'enough with the display of ego now, John'. Not that he wasn't entitled, for once, but the way I see Locke is that, however confident he acts, there's always a layer of fear underneath, and not seeing that at all here felt - I don't know. Like something was missing? If that makes sense.

The way his emotional make-up works is just that he doesn't think someone he cares about would kill him. Hurt him, sure, but not kill him.

Oh, good point! And, yes, he definitely has some instinctive belief in reaping what one sows, and that just the act of respecting or caring about a person should be enough for that person to show some basic decency in return. Except kindness doesn't always repay kindness, which, tragically, is exactly what causes Locke's downfall time and again - with Anthony Cooper, and twice with Ben. I agree Locke wouldn't think of killing Ben except when forced to, and I can see where he'd automatically make the mental jump that the inverse would be true as well. Which - well. Not everyone takes fair play as seriously as John Locke. Whether I'd call it 'caring for' Ben, at this point in canon, I'm not sure. But there's definitely been a connection between them from the start, with Locke being both drawn to and fascinated by Ben, even trusting him on some basic level. Which is surely more of a basis for a relationship than Ben has with anyone else at this point (apart, perhaps, from Richard? But then, even Richard is plotting behind his back now, while Locke at least is direct about what he wants.)

I like your pet theory re: the cabin being Mother's! I'm starting to suspect this may have been one of those instances where the writers hadn't exactly made up their minds about the details of Jacob and his physical appearance? Because it doesn't seem to fit with what we know of either Smokey or Jacob, where technicalities are concerned. In which case I'm all for personal fanwank. :)

Ben's dead mother being Smokey: quite possible, but then what motivation did he have to get little Ben to meet the Others? Still confused here.

That missing scene: I vaguely remember Ben making that statement to Locke about not knowing one's fathers, but I can't remember where I know it from or whether I've watched that scene. Will remedy and (re-)watch asap!