“Dead is dead.” says Ben Linus in this week’s episode of “LOST”. It also happens to be the name of this week’s episode of “LOST”.  As mentioned in last week’s review, this week’s episode focuses on Benjamin Linus and his desire to seek out the smoke monster in order to be judged.  This episode is also full of flashbacks on Ben’s life from his youth and the moment after his healing from the gunshot wound to the “business” he had to take care of before he got on Flight 316 to head back to the island.

The “dead is dead” line is a reference to John Locke.  At the end of last week’s episode, Ben was surprised to see that John was alive.  The island has brought him back to life and although Ben knew this would happen to John, it’s still an unusual thing to see because this shouldn’t really happen to anyone on the island.  However, the island it seems has chosen John for a special purpose and needs him alive.  With that being said, Ben is here more importantly to be judged by the smoke monster for breaking the rules and returning to the island.  What is Ben’s verdict?  Lets us see.

Spoilers….............................................................

Ben and John head back to the main island to locate the smoke monster. Before they leave, Ben commits one more sin and kills Casear. This was pretty shocking and it just goes to show how bad ass Benjamin Linus is as a person. Early in the episode, Ben is talking with Casear and he pretends to not know who John Locke is. Casear mentions that while Ben was unconscious, John had said that it was Ben who killed him. Casear believes John to be insane and dangerous and he tells Ben that he has his back by showing him the gun he found on the island. Ben repays him by stealing his gun and killing him. Now Ben did so because it seemed that Casear was going to use against John, but still. It just shows the viewer more evidence of what a manipulator Ben is and why you never know with this guy. It does however make for great television. Kudos to the brilliant Michael Emerson who plays him.

While on the main island, Ben and John encounter Sun and Frank Lapidus. They show Ben the 1977 photo that shows the other “LOST” members in the past. Ben is as confused as they are as we realize that after he was cured by the smoke monster, he didn’t remember anything. Speaking of which one of the first flashbacks shows the moment when young Ben wakes up from being cured and is greeted by none other than a young Charles Widmore.

Another flashback that shows the origins of the rift that currently exists between Ben and Widmore shows the moment when Ben takes Alex from Danielle Rousseau. The Others were not aware that she had a baby and Widmore sent Ben - along with a young Ethan - to go and kill her. As Ben is about to do so, he sees the baby and decides to take her. Widmore is not happy by this and wants Ben to kill her. Ben refuses and says that if Widmore wants her dead, then he do it. Widmore walks away and this begins we assume the lead up to the Others choosing Ben as there leader.

We flashback again to when we see Widmore being escorted to the sub to leave the island. It seems Widmore has been leaving the island and had a daughter (Penny) with a person on the outside. This against the rules and Ben and the Others banish him. Before he leaves, Widmore tells Ben that he too will be banished as he should have sacrificed Alex along time ago because its what the island wants. I guess maybe that’s why Ben finally did do it and let Widmore’s mercenary goons kill Alex. Either way, Ben is not happy with Widmore and decides to make good on his promise to Widmore that he would kill Widmore’s daughter Penny out of revenge for Alex.

Ben shows up to the boat that Penny lives on with Desmond and their son Charlie. He shoots Desmond and is about to kill Penny, when he sees that they have a child. Showing remorse, Ben hesitates and it looks like he’s not going to do it. We never find out if he would have went through with it anyway because Desmond comes back and kicks the crap out of him.

Benjamin Linus is such an amazing character. He is so complex. I don’t think one can truly understand him until the end of the show when all is revealed. He can show love with Alex, sympathy in not killing young Charlie, and the kill Caesar with no problem. He truly is the guy you love to hate and it’s a pleasure watching all of this unfold week after week.

Ben is eventually judged by the smoke monster which comes out of a underground room in the temple on the island. There are hieroglyphics on the wall and one of the hieroglyphics show an Egyptian God speaking to the smoke monster. A “LOST” fansite believes that this God is called Anubis. Does all this have to do with Egyptian religion? The smoke monster comes out and takes the form of Alex. It tells Ben that it knows Ben still wants to kill John and that he must follow John without question. I think the reason Ben wants to kill John is because he’s given so much to the island and now he is no longer in charge. We see this when John leads Ben to the temple. John for some reason knows where the temple that the smoke monster lives in. John leads Ben to the temple and asks Ben if he likes that he is being lead by someone else to which he replys no.

We saw that the smoke monster has turned into Alex and it has turned into other people in the past. It turned into Mr. Eko’s brother Yemi before it killed him. I wonder if Christian Shepard is really the smoke monster?  A tidbit I forgot to mention is a scene with Illana.  She and some others on the plane are shown unpacking weapons.  They confront Frank Lapidus and she asks Frank if he knows “what lies in the shadow of the statue.” Obviously she’s referencing the four-toed statue on the island.  Does she work for Widmore or is she with another group of people looking for the island?

Next week’s episode is called “Some Like it Hoth”. Is Hoth a Star Wars reference? Anyway, this episode focuses on Miles and his ability to talk to the dead. Maybe we’ll find out why or how. Only a few more episodes remain until the big season finale. See you next week!