Ah Joe- Good to have you back.

Joe you magnificent bastard! We missed you buddy, glad to have you back.
How can you not like Abbadon? That dude was bad ass. I thought that dude was bad ass, I've always liked him since he showed up and wanted to see more of him. "I help people get to where they are supposed to", that was nice.
As usual great episode, lot of little things that I personally enjoyed. The Locke & Walt scene was one of them. Walt looks like he's 18 years old. You think through his dreams he can reach the island, that's why Locke saw him when Ben shot him in Season 3?
Jack vs. Locke scene, awesome. I always enjoy the Man of Science vs. Man of Faith showdowns.
Widmore and Locke. "There's a war coming John" Hell yeaaaaa! When is it coming?
I thought this episode clearly made Ben the villain in the Lost story. When Ben turned the Frozen Donkey Wheel he knew he wouldn' be able to make it back to the island. He got all the information on how to get back and what it would take to get back from Locke. Locke was no longer needed, he killed him and now he could return like the golden boy. Widmore told Locke Ben betrayed him and in Season 4 when Ben and Widmore have their conversation, Widmore says everything Ben has he took from Widmore. I think Ben was basically doing the same thing to Locke and that's why he killed him.
I read this today and it got me thinking cause it's true. Where does the story go from here now that they are all on the island? When the Season started they producers said the season would be about getting back to the island. We are 7 episodes in and they are already there. Now what? I have no clue, but I like it!
Super Rich, super nice off you to welcome me back.
Hanso, mere words can never do justice to our bond. We're like Walt and Locke, but I have no idea which is which. My growth spurt stopped over 20 years ago though.
I have to say, I am more certain than ever that Ben is doing not just what is good for Ben, but what he believes what is also in the best interest of the island.
Here's my thinking. Widmore looks like the good guy - he says all the right things, and he swears he won't let Locke die. He knows if Locke dies, then like Obi Wan, he'll have an even stronger connection to the force. UNLESS, of course, Locke kills himself. Then the island will see Locke as not strong enough to lead, and that will make the island weak, and easy for Widmore to plunder.
Widmore sends Abaddon to accompany Locke on a soul-crushing tour, knowing full well each member of the O6 will say no, pushing Locke closer and clloser to the brink. I'm not sure if Locke is aware he can't return if he kills himself after he's lost faith, but I bet Widmore knows - AND he's banking on it.
Ben rushes in, just in the nick of time, and talks Locke out of suicide, talks him back - faith-wise, and then, knowing he has all the pieces he needs to save the day, he murders Locke, assuring he dies full of faith, while Widmore is convinced he hung himself after losing the faith.
This is also why Widmore staged Helen's death. I didn't write about that, but I always like to leave a little something for the comments box. If Locke believes his true love is dead, this sends him further down the depression spiral.
Of course the converse could be also true - If Locke found his true love, as Kate and Sayid hinted at, he'd forget all about the island and never return. The gravestone could be Ben's doing - making sure Locke doesn't have any interest in staying, or Widmore's doing - making sure Locke gets all nice and depressed before his next visit to the hardware store.
Mark my words, Hanso, Ben is a good guy. Flawed.... he may even be wheelchair bound as penance for a while, but he's ultimately more concerned with the island's welfare than Widmore.
i want to believe Ben is good as well. just as i was saying how much i like the character to my wife (she hates him) he kills Locke! and i think it was because he got the 411 on Mrs Hawking, Locke says her name and Bens face does his suprised look and his next action was strangulation. I think Ben IS doing what's best for the island, but Ben's version of that, what he thinks is best for it, not necessarily what anyone else might say is best.
overall i liked this episode more than the others this season. maybe b/c i always dug on Locke (though for a Locke centric ep there were copious side players) or maybe b/c we are seeing just how far ben will go to get his way.
Gimpy, regarding Ben, keep the faith. It's still too early and too easy to find he's been a bad guy. Maybe I'll be the last delusional Ben suppporter, and let's face it, the man is not a tradtional hero, but he's starting to come around and he's trying to learn how to be selfless.
Is there anyone else out there on Ben's side? I need to hear from you guys. Seriously, I've got my Angel's Hardware credit card in my hand, and if I don't start hearing some support for the great BL, I'm jumping. I swear, I'm gonna jump!
Abbadon had to die so that his spirit could fulfill its contractual obligations to Fringe. The character is dead but the actor journeys on.
Joe, reading your column after seeing the episode makes it that more entertaining. Thanks!
And yeah, when I saw Abaddon on Fringe I kinda knew he was toast for Lost.
I'm glad they mixed in some scenes showing what happened with flight 316. I was worried this was just going to be a straight flashback episode.
So yeah, Ben's a tough cookie to read. Why does he need a dead Locke to return to the island? Is it to parallel the oceanic flight with the dead christian shephard? If so, why does it need to be Locke who is dead? Locke moved the wheel, but so did Ben. If Locke gains all sort of super power by returning to the island in a body bag, why wouldn't Ben want that for himself (and thus let himself be killed prior to the return flight)? Good commentary on Locke's death, chief. I like the idea that Locke needed to die with faith intact, but I'm not sure if that's entirely the case. His mentioning of Mrs. Hawking was definitely Ben's trigger.
With Locke alive and interacting with people, it makes me wonder about Christian. Is Christian alive in the same fashion as Locke? is he an intangible ghost (thus making his lantern a ghost lantern)? Does he just exist in people's minds? If Christian is truly back from the dead, how did he get in the cave of time with Locke? Does Locke have similar bamf powers now that he has been resurrected? Are they both cylons?
Did anyone else think Walt seemed really disinterested in Locke? Locke was all gushy and happy to see his friend again, and Walt was kinda, "yeah, so, we'll have to play backgammon on facebook sometime. later." Also, Walt knew Locke's cripple secret waaay back in season 1. Wouldn't it intrigue Walt to see Locke crippled again in the real world?
After this episode, I'm leaning more towards the island being Eden then Atlantis. Secretly, I'm still hoping it's all a crossover with the Choose Your Own Adventure series (Cave of Time 4EVA).
Welcome back, Joe. And way to make me sound like a brown noser ;)
LittleNell, nice call on the Fringe thing. I guess that's the one drawback of filming entirely in Hawaii. It's tough for actors with contracts in LA to make regular appearances. I long for the good old days when Oscar Goldman was never too busy to not only back-up up Jamie Sommers when she ran afoul from a team of dealy assasins, but also had time to help Steve Austin conquer Bigfoot.
Mortellan, thanks for the compliment. I love doing this column, and it's always nice to know my work is being enjoyed.
Amish, my man, Brown-noser? No way. Your insights and commentary are always apppreciated, and it was just nice for me to return home and see someone mentioned my absence that week. (By the way, I loved the episode 316, and after the two previous episodes I was bummed I wasn't going to be able to write the review)
I have no idea yet why Locke needed to die in order to return. But that was through Richard, not Ben. It's obviously the island's decree, and that island loves a sacrifice. As for Mrs Hawking being the trigger, I honestly believe that is nothing more than classic LOST misdirection. The change of mood music, Ben expressions - just the old switcheroo.
I think after hearing about Jin, and then Hawking, Ben was now armed with enough information that he could carry the burden of making sure the gang returns, but he felt Locke, while he was once again a man of faith, was in jeopardy of falling under Widmore's spell again - which could again lead to depression, which could lead to suicide, which would make him null and void for being really really special. KILL LOCKE NOW AND DO THE REST OF THE HEAVY LIFTING HIMSELF. Ben knew Locke would be fine in his next life, and Ben, not Abaddon, was the one who brought Locke where he needed to go. Hurley was right. Abaddon was evil.
Killing Locke was one of the most selfless things Ben's ever done in his life. He guarantees Locke returns to the island, more connected, ala the aforementioned Obi Wan. Ben thought at one time that he might have been Obi Wan (he even had the perfect first name for the gig) but he realizes Jacob hasn't spoken to him on a regular basis in quite some time. He may or may not understand exactly what he did to fall from grace, but he now accepts it, and like Sayid building the huts in Santa Domingo, Ben is searching for redemption. (Remeber Sawyer singing the Redemption Song on the raft with Michael? Redemption is a huge theme in this season, faith being another biggie.)
I do not uinderstand Christian's powers, so I'm not sure if they're on par with Locke's, but I assume they are different some how.
After seeeing Jack's grandfather in 316, I get the sense the Shephard men have been on and off that island for decades now. I noticed a couple of people have been saying they think Jack is his own grandfather, and I have to admit, that thought jumped at me as soon as he called him Grandpa.
Ray Shephard is bored out of his skull in the facility. He's been an important man, a man of action his whole adult life. He needs to mix it up. Are Ray and Jack the same people? I'm not sure, but the builds, height, facial similaritiies are all striking to me. More so than Jack and Christian. We'll see. I just wanted it duly noted.
As for Walt, Amish, I was half expecting him to be hidden on that plane too. I'm not ruling that out yet, but I'm only putting it at about 15% right now... and that's probably too high. The only reason I give it odds at all is because he was a pretty important figure in season one, and he was never really explained. Most likely that scene between the two was the show saying goodbye to Walt more than Locke or the Island.
Hanso, it sounds as if you believe Walt still has his powers. (as I do) I think they still need to pay the Walt character off. What say you Hanso? More Walt, or is he finished?
Everybody else, let's hear from you! The purpose of my reviews are just the jumping point. We want and need to hear oppposing viewpoints, confirmations, crazy theories (as long as they're well thought out crazy theories) and any things big or small that you've either noticed or need help wrapping your minds around.
This is a pretty deep show, as we all know. They mix in religion with Planet of the Apes, Classic literature with the Green Lantern, respected philoshpers with Cass Eliot and ancient mythology with cartoon shorts from the 40s.
We need everyone's expertise on this. So sound off. there's a war coming, and we need soldiers for the cause.
Ah Joe- Good to have you back.