LOST is on TOMORROW !---BEN=MALCOM X ?!? SPOILER ALERT!

If you are trying to catch up to the happenings of LOST before tomorrow's season premiere. You better move fast. The show has 5 Seasons, each episode features 45 minutes or more of content and the first 3 seasons feature over 20 episodes. Essentially what I'm saying is, it's impossible to catch up by watching the actual episodes. And that's why the producer develop recap episodes every season and this year is no different. However since I've seen every single episode I like to spend my time before premiere's arguing with other Lost geeks over theories about different characters.

Today I found myself engaged in quite the debate over the nature of Ben where an interesting theory developed. Again I enlist the services of the spoiler bear to ward away anyone who may stumble upon this article. Just to help you with reading, my icon is the little chocolate head cartoon, and my name is Chrismsx, Enjoy !

THE SPOILER BEAR WARNS YOU !

Topic Comment

Ben is totally one of the finest villains ever wrought. Lost must be the first show where such a major villain is infinitely more likable than nearly all of its heroes.

Comments

LeopoldNestor 06:17 AM

@Josh Wimmer: I am still holding out hope that he's a good guy and that we find out that, all along, he just did what had to be done. I am thinking that is less and less likely. I am now thinking he is a "road to hell" character. He thought what he was doing was the right thing and his world will be ripped away from him.

Josh Wimmer 10:26 AM

@LeopoldNestor: Eh, I think he was screwed-up because of his dad, but he knew full well, more or less, that what he was doing was wrong on some level. I think he was committed to it, and that's weirdly admirable. But I also think he enjoys having power and using it, though he might be ultimately redeemable.

csanders984 10:48 AM

@Josh Wimmer: I like to compare Ben to Malcolm X. He's a good guy, who simply believes that he must accomplish his goals by "Any Means Necessary" ....He's been saying since day one" we're the good guys..." and since the others them selves don't come across as evil, why would Ben just happen to be evil ?

Josh Wimmer 10:54 AM

@csanders984: Well, I think he's interesting because he's not "good" or "evil" in a black-and-white sense. That said, it's hard to say whether he believes in what he's doing or if it's all about him, him, him. When Jacob says, "What about you?" back to him, it hits Ben right in the ego. And then, you know, there's also all the coldblooded murdering. And the fact that even if he says, "We're the good guys" -- well, I mean, the guy has a demonstrably generous way with the truth.

csanders984 11:50 AM

@Josh Wimmer: Even the cold blooded murdering has a purpose. He has never just killed anyone seemingly for no reason. Jacob's what about you wasn't a stab to his ego, it was a stab to his heart. Ben has spent almost 20 years following Jacob and taking orders, only to be treated as a "nothing". Jacob was a total tool in that scene, when you consider the things Ben has done in his name. I didn't blame him for what he did, especially since he was being coaxed by evil Locke.

Josh Wimmer 12:00 PM

@csanders984: I think what he did was perfectly understandable. But the point is, Ben never served the island because he thought it was the right thing to do, so much as because he expected to get something out of it.

And I'm, uh, pretty sure "had a purpose" does not make murdering less evil. Jacob also tells Ben, "You have a choice," and I think we're going to find out as the show concludes that Ben had a lot of choices, made some pretty appalling ones, and always justified them by saying they were for a larger purpose. As all of the most evil people in human history have. Reply

csanders984 12:26 PM

@Josh Wimmer: No I disagree. While I'm not in favor of war, murdering to defeat and eradicate a greater evil can make murdering less evil. The purpose is the line that separates a hero from a villain. One guy could save a bus full of children by murdering the insane bus driver driving toward a cliff.... his action is infinitely less evil than the person who would have killed the man because he just enjoys killing.

I can see what your getting at. Almost relating Ben to Hitler, but the problem is Ben's purpose involves saving others and not eradicating them simply due to a bias.

Hence why I compared him to Malcolm X. Neither man is perfect, both made mistakes, both admitted those mistakes and both are dedicated to a cause that is in itself good. Go watch the series again, Ben never made a move that didn't benefit someone else, he never carried out completely selfish acts.


End Thread (Feel Free to Follow the Debate as it grows @io9 !)


That's right ! I totally just compared Ben to Malcolm X ! He's a fly Malcolm X, buy any jeans necessary ! Or better yet .. no, nope, there is no better yet ! Watch LOST tomorrow, 7 o clock central, on ABC !