Ben Linus
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Portrayed by Michael Emerson
- Former DHARMA Initiative Workman
Benjamin Linus, more commonly known as Ben, is a long-time resident of the Island. He arrived as a child, brought by his father Roger who worked for the DHARMA Initiative. After being educated on the Island, Ben became a workman for the Initiative. At some point, he allied himself with the Hostiles against the Initiative. After the destruction of the Initiative on the Island in the Purge, Ben became the leader of the successor group to the Hostiles known as the Others. In 2004, he ordered the Others to a location called the Temple and became a captive member of John Locke's group on the Island, before being allowed to roam free about the camp in exchange for information. He appears to have some control over the Monster.
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Before the crash
Off the Island
Ben Linus was born on December 19th in the early 1960s, early in his mother Emily's third trimester. Roger and Emily Linus were hiking in a forest 32 miles outside Portland, Oregon (Official Lost Podcast/September 21, 2007) when she went into early labor. The birth went badly for Emily, and Roger carried her out to a roadway, flagging down Horace and Olivia, a couple passing by, for help. Ben lived, but Emily died. Emily's last words were to name the child "Benjamin". ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
With the DHARMA Initiative
In the early 1970s, during the heyday of the DHARMA Initiative, (Season 3 DVD) Ben came to the Island as a child with his father Roger, who had gotten a job thanks to Horace, a DHARMA mathematician. Ben's father was an alcoholic who paid little attention to Ben during his childhood and routinely forgot his birthday.
Ben witnessed an attack on the Initiative by the Hostiles while attending school. The night after the attack, Ben saw his mother outside his window looking in.
On the Island, he met and befriended a young girl named Annie. Annie gave Ben a handmade gift for his birthday: a doll carved in a crude likeness of herself. She also carved a doll representing Ben, and kept it while Ben kept the Annie doll, saying that now they would never be far from each other. Ben kept the doll and was seen looking at it on his 2004 birthday.
That night, Ben returned to Roger's quarters. Roger had drunk himself to sleep. Ben started to take off his father's shoes, waking him. Roger saw Annie's gift box, and started rambling about Ben having killed his mother on his birthday. Ben watched his father in tears while the man settled back and wished him a happy birthday. Ben ran off and went to the sonar fence, where he saw his mother again. She said nothing until Ben started toward the fence. Then she told him that it is not yet time for him to come, and walked back into the jungle.
Some time after this, Ben packed his belongings (including his doll of Annie) and left the barracks. He exited through the sonar fence using a rabbit to test if the fence was disabled. In the jungle, he heard whispers and then met Richard Alpert, who asked him if he was lost and encouraged him to return home to his people. Ben told him that he was looking for his mother, even though she was dead. Richard became more interested in Ben after hearing this. Ben further told him that he hated living with the DHARMA Initiative and wanted to join the Hostiles. Richard said that it might be possible for him to do so, but that he had to be very patient.
Years later, an adult Ben, who was a workman like his father, accompanied Roger on a supply run. Ben reminded him that it was his birthday and Roger, having forgotten again, suggested they have a beer together after work. At 4:00pm, Ben put on a gas mask and opened a cannister, which released a gas that killed Roger. Ben then returned to the barracks where the staff of the Initiative had all been killed in the Purge. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
With the Others
At some undetermined point, Ben assumed a leadership role with the Others, also establishing communication with Jacob. The Others were formed from a combination of the former Hostiles, DHARMA Initiative staff who (like Ben) turned on the organization, and new people recruited from the outside world.
At another undetermined point, Ben apparently began taking trips off the Island. During one such trip, he was photographed by an unknown person, and this photo eventually ended up in the hands of Miles Straume. ("Confirmed Dead") Sayid later discovered Ben had a secret room in his house where he stored many types of currency, as well as passports from various countries (e.g., Switzerland). The extent of and motivation behind Ben's off-Island activity remain a mystery. ("The Economist")
In uncertain circumstances, he became the adoptive father of Alexandra. He raised her from infancy, telling her that her mother was dead. He was very protective of Alex. As she got older, she became involved with Karl, seemingly the only Other on the Island her age. Ben disapproved of the relationship because of the danger of Alex becoming pregnant. He eventually imprisoned and attempted to brainwash Karl to end the relationship.
It is unknown whether Ben has ever been married or romantically involved with anyone. At one point, Harper Stanhope, the Others' therapist, referred to an unnamed "her" who may have been in a relationship with Ben in the past, but the context of Harper's statement left its meaning somewhat ambiguous. ("The Other Woman")
Roughly three years before the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, Ben brought Juliet to the Island to help solve the Others' pregnancy problems. When she was unsuccessful and asked to be sent home, Ben convinced her to stay by telling her that her sister's cancer had returned and that Jacob would heal it if she agreed to stay. Later on, it became increasingly clear that Ben was interested in more than just Juliet's medical expertise, and Juliet herself began to suspect that he had a "crush" on her. In fact, Ben was in love with Juliet, and his attraction to her was one of his reasons for keeping her on the Island. When Ben realized that Juliet was having an affair with Goodwin, he became extremely jealous, so much so that Harper, who was Goodwin's wife, began to fear for Goodwin's safety. ("The Other Woman")
Shortly before the crash of Flight 815, Ben had pain in his back. Juliet took X-rays and discovered a tumor on his spine. Ben was very troubled because people on the Island were usually free of disease. Juliet was upset because she believed that Ben had lied about curing her sister of cancer. ("One of Us")
After the crash
When Flight 815 crashed on the Island, Ben immediately jumped in to action, summoning Goodwin and Ethan. He ordered them to go to where the tail section and mid-section had landed to act as spies: "Listen, learn, don't get involved." He told them he wanted "lists in three days." ("A Tale of Two Cities") He chose Goodwin to infiltrate the tail section survivors in part because he hoped that the dangerous mission would lead to Goodwin's demise. ("The Other Woman")
Immediately after the crash, he traveled to the Flame with Juliet to learn what Mikhail had discovered about the plane. After instructing Mikhail to assemble detailed files on all the passengers, he showed Juliet what he claimed was a live video feed of her her sister and nephew. ("One of Us")
Sometime after October 18, 2004 (Day 27) Ben took Juliet to see Goodwin's deceased body. Juliet called Ben out, saying he knew Goodwin would die. After asking why, Ben replied, "Because you're mine." ("The Other Woman")
Roughly a month and a half after the crash, Walt was being held in Room 23 at the Hydra compound after having been taken off the survivors' raft. He did something again that disturbed and concerned the Others, and Juliet tried to get Ben to take notice and intervene. She told him that Walt was dangerous and that perhaps they should bring him back to Michael. Ben disagreed, saying Walt was only a child. Juliet took Ben outside to show him what Walt had done: a group of dead birds were lying on the stairwell under a window. ("Room 23")
Later, on November 9, 2004, Ben and Juliet went to the Pearl, where they used a monitor to view the survivors in the Swan. They discussed exploiting Jack's emotional concerns to get him to do surgery on Ben, using Michael to bring Jack, Kate, and Sawyer to them. Paulo was secretly watching them from the bathroom, and he took their walkie after they left it behind, bringing it back to camp with him. ("Exposé")
Ben's plan began to be put into effect the same day. On the Swan computer, Michael received a message from Walt. He received another message the following day and left to go find his son. He was captured by the Others in the jungle on November 12.
Season 2 (Days 58-67)
Presumably, Ben was captured by Danielle Rousseau in a net trap. ("One of Them") She then handed him over to Sayid on November 18, 2004. Danielle shot Ben with a crossbow during an escape attempt, after which he was kept prisoner in the armory of the Swan station. Danielle said that Ben would lie a long time before he told the truth and handed him over to Sayid, presumably to be tortured.
As a prisoner, he claimed to be Henry Gale, a wealthy miner from Wayzata, Minnesota who crashed onto the Island with his wife Jennifer in a hot air balloon. Sayid and Locke did not believe his claims, but Jack was more open-minded to the possibility that he was telling the truth. "Henry" further claimed his wife had died of a mysterious sickness, a story he maintained even during a brutal interrogation by Sayid. The three men decided not to disclose the captive's existence to the rest of the group, though Sayid decided to tell Charlie about Ben's presence, and Eko and Ana Lucia later discovered him as well. Eko, who seemed to believe that Ben was one of the Others, confessed privately to Ben that he had killed two of them during his first night on the Island and that he was very sorry for what he had done. He punctuated this by cutting two outgrowths off his beard with a large knife.
Ben could hear events in the Swan outside his prison in the gun vault, and was therefore aware of the tension between Locke and Jack. Using this knowledge, he attempted to manipulate Locke into feuding with Jack by telling him that he appeared to be in Jack's shadow. Locke became angry enough to take out his rage on objects at the Swan, foreshadowing future manipulations of his behavior toward Jack. At one point, Locke seemed to become aware that his mind was being played with. He angrily grabbed Ben by the shirt and tossed him back into the armory.
To bolster his story, Ben had drawn a map to the location of the balloon and his supposed wife Jennifer's grave. Sayid, Ana Lucia, and Charlie followed the map and found the site exactly as described, but Sayid was still skeptical. Sayid exhumed the corpse and discovered not a woman, but a man identified by his driver's license as Henry Gale.
Meanwhile, there was a lockdown incident at the Swan station, and Locke, whose legs had been pinned under a blast door, was forced to enlist "Henry" to push the button. Locke did not witness what happened as the lockdown ended although Ben lied to him, telling him he did not push the button and nothing happened. Shortly thereafter, the search party returned and revealed that the man they knew as "Henry" was an impostor and an Other; the real Henry Gale was dead and buried.
Sayid tried to get Ben to answer questions about the Others, but Ben said his leader would kill him if he did. Sayid almost executed Ben, but was stopped by Ana Lucia. Ben looked shocked when Ana Lucia referred to Tom as his leader and said, "Him? He's no one! Nothing!" He referred to his true leader only as "Him," saying he was a great man. In protest to his captivity, Ben refused to eat, drink, or speak for two days. He told the survivors that the Others would never give them Walt in exchange for him and caused Locke to question his beliefs when he claimed he did not push the button.
Later, Ben tried to strangle Ana Lucia, accusing her of killing two good people and telling her that Goodwin had tried to convince the Others that she was worthy of being on the list. He also strongly implied that Goodwin would never have tried to kill her. His attempt to strangle Ana Lucia was thwarted by Locke, who later neglected to tell Jack about the incident. Locke eventually revealed the information, but only when it seemed too late, after Ana Lucia had gone to murder Ben.
However, shortly after Michael returned to the camp, he murdered Ana Lucia and Libby, then released Ben. Ben appeared to leave no tracks as he escaped. ("Two for the Road")
Ben's actions as he directed the Walt exchange at the Pala Ferry pier made him appear to be the leader of the Others. He mildly reprimanded Tom for not wearing his beard. He told Michael that while he was unhappy with the deal his people had made with him, they had gotten "more than we bargained for" when Walt had joined them. When asked by Michael, "Who are you people?" he replied, "We're the good guys," reiterating a sentiment that had been expressed by various members of the Others. Finally, he told Michael that he would never find the Island again even if he tried, echoing his claim as a prisoner at the Swan that even God could not see the Island. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
Season 3 (Days 68-91)
The Others escorted Jack, Kate, and Sawyer to the Hydra station. There, Tom told Kate to shower and gave her a dress to wear, then took her to the beach to have a nice, civilized breakfast with Ben—in handcuffs. Ben said the reason for this was that he wanted her to "feel like a lady" and to have "something to look back on" over the next two weeks, which he promised would be "extremely unpleasant." ("A Tale of Two Cities")
Ben watched the activities of Kate, Sawyer, and Jack on some monitors in the Hydra. As he was monitoring these feeds, Juliet entered the room carrying soup for Jack. Ben quipped, "You never made soup for me." Colleen entered and told Ben that Sayid had found the decoy village and had a sailboat. Ben ordered Colleen, in no uncertain terms, to recover the boat and bring it back.
Later that day, Ben visited Jack in his cell and sat on a chair next to him. He commented on the irony of the situation, as less than a week ago, Ben was a captive and Jack the captor. He introduced himself as Benjamin Linus and lied, saying that he had been on the Island his entire life. He told Jack that if he cooperated, he would take him home when the time came. Jack was skeptical. Ben then revealed that the Others were in contact with the outside world, and proceeded to detail real-life events that had happened during their time on the Island, such as Christopher Reeve's death and the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series. Jack did not believe him, so Ben showed him a video of the winning game. He finished by saying, "That's home, Jack. Right there, on the other side of that glass. And if you listen to me, if you trust me, if you do what I tell you, when the time comes, I'll take you there. I will take you home." ("The Glass Ballerina")
Ben's depth of control became even more evident when he interrupted Juliet's conversation with Jack, ordering her to come and assist him. Juliet had told Jack that she and Ben "make decisions together," but it appeared this was not the case, much like the situation with Jack and Locke while Ben was being held in the Swan.
When Sawyer was planning on escaping once more from his cage, another side to Ben's character emerged: an aggressive side. Sawyer's escape plan involved an electric shock to himself and whichever Other would be standing in the puddle he created. It was Ben who was moving closer to the puddle, but as Sawyer attempted his plan, it failed—Ben had turned off the electricity. Ben asked Sawyer his age and weight, then jumped into the cage and beat him with a baton to the point of unconsciousness.
Ben watched in one of the Hydra's rooms as Matthew stuck a needle into Sawyer's chest, mentioning that he hated needles. When Sawyer regained consciousness, Ben showed him a caged rabbit bearing the number 8 on its back. Ben proceeded to shake the cage violently. This frightened the rabbit, which quickly went limp. Ben told Sawyer that the rabbit had a pacemaker, and that now Sawyer did, too. He gave him a special watch that would begin beeping when Sawyer's heart rate exceeded 125 bpm. If it went above 140 bpm, his heart would explode. Ben then told him the same fate would befall Kate if Sawyer revealed what the Others had done to him. ("Every Man for Himself")
Meanwhile, Jack saw X-rays on a wall in the Hydra belonging to a man about 40 years old with a spinal tumor.
The next morning, Ben took Sawyer for a walk up a steep path. They exchanged mild banter, and then Sawyer's heart monitor began to beep due to the exercise. Sawyer asked if Ben brought him up there just to kill him, and Ben revealed there was no pacemaker at all. He told Sawyer that the rabbit was only given a sedative and wasn't actually dead, because the Others aren't "killers." Ben said he did all this because the only way to earn the respect of a con man was to con him.
Finally, Ben and Sawyer reached the top of the mountain. From their viewpoint, they could see an island about two miles offshore. Ben told Sawyer that the Island on which they stood wasn't the same Island he and the other survivors had come to call home. Thus, he showed Sawyer that even if he escaped, there would be nowhere to run. ("Every Man for Himself")
That night, Ben took Jack to Colleen's funeral. He was dressed in a white smock shirt, as were all of the Others, in what seemed to simulate a traditional Viking funeral. Jack asked about the symptoms of Ben's tumor, referring to the X-rays he had seen earlier. Jack dropped the issue when Ben pretended that he didn't know what he meant. At the funeral, Ben asked Juliet why she had told Jack about the X-rays, to which she replied, "I didn't tell him they were yours. But I guess you did," implying that Ben had just confirmed Jack's guesswork.
As Juliet fed Jack breakfast, Ben burst in and demanded to talk to Jack. When Juliet pressed him, he said they needed to be alone because of "doctor-patient confidentiality." Once alone, Ben told Jack that he'd had a great plan to "break" him and wear him down so that he would do whatever he was told, whenever. However, he said that plan got "shot to sunshine" when Jack saw the X-rays and figured out that Ben was dying. When Jack asked if Ben wanted him to save his life, Ben replied, "No, I want you to want to save my life." When Ben asked if Jack was religious, Jack turned the question back on him. Ben replied, "Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky. And if that's not proof of God, I don't know what is." ("The Cost of Living")
When Ben realized that he needed surgery within the week, he asked Jack about the prospect of performing it. At first, Jack seemed willing, checking that they had the necessary equipment. But then Jack said that this behavior was all a ploy to get back at Ben for the way he had been treated. Ben reacted unemotionally to the news that his tumor would become inoperable within a week, though clearly he was inwardly shaken. When Jack refused to do the surgery, Ben told Jack he was disappointed, to which Jack replied that at least Ben won't have to be disappointed for very long.
Soon after, Jack explored the observation room in the Hydra and saw Kate and Sawyer after they'd had sex. Ben walked in on him and tried to bait him, saying, "If I were a betting man, I would have picked her and you." He knew that the sight of seeing Sawyer and Kate together would make Jack want to get off of the Island; Jack, now angry, agreed to do the surgery.
All seemed to go well for the first leg of the ensuing operation, but then Jack purposefully made a slit in Ben's kidney sac. He told Juliet and Tom that Ben would die within the hour if the damage was not repaired. Now Ben was Jack's hostage and he demanded that Kate and Sawyer be set free or he would let Ben die.
Later, Ben awakened while still on the operating table and seemed to understand his situation as a hostage, even conceding that Jack had outplayed him. Apparently, he also heard Jack tell Tom that Juliet had wanted him to "make a mistake" in surgery so that Ben would die. Ben asked for a private conversation with Juliet, after which she left the operating room and announced that the Others had to let Kate and Sawyer leave. Having confirmed the safety of his friends, Jack put Ben back under anesthesia and completed the surgery. After nicking an artery and enlisting Tom's help in Juliet's absence, Jack successfully removed the tumor but suggested it be tested for malignancy. ("Not in Portland")
Shortly after his surgery, Ben developed an infection around his stitches. Jack initially refused to help Ben any further, but later agreed to treat him in exchange for him commuting Juliet's death sentence, which she had received for killing Pickett. Ben agreed to this, but ordered that Juliet be marked instead. Along with Jack, he accompanied the rest of the Others to their home on the main Island, as their location on Hydra Island was no longer secret following the escape of Kate and Sawyer. ("Stranger in a Strange Land")
Upon returning to the island, Ben was seen playing a game of chess with Jack. Ben commented that if Jack were ever to leave the Island, the day would come when he would want to return. Jack responded, saying, "Never," to which Ben said, " I've learned never to say never." After talking some more, Ben made a move to win the chess game. He looked up at Jack and said, "It was a nice try though." ("King of the Castle")
About a week later, Locke showed up at the Barracks and confronted Ben, who was still debilitated and confined to a wheelchair. He was thankful to Locke for blowing up the submarine so that he would not have to let Jack and Juliet go. He also promised to reveal the secrets of the Island to Locke, and started by showing him that the Others had Locke's father, Anthony Cooper, in captivity. ("The Man from Tallahassee")
Later that night in his secret room, Ben made a phone call to the freighter, pretending to be Walt. He seemed shocked when Michael said he had activated the bomb. He went on to say in a war he will do what he has to do to win, but he will not kill innocent people, commenting that the others did not ask Michael to kill Ana-Lucia and Libby, but that he did it on his own. He then told Michael to get him a list of names of everyone on the boat, destroy the communications equipment and then the engines, telling Michael that if he did so he could "consider himself one of the good guys." ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Ben accompanied the Others as they vacated the barracks, but not before sending Juliet on an undercover mission to infiltrate the beach community. He told her that he would see her again in one week. ("One of Us")
When the Others deserted the Barracks, Ben brought Locke along. After they reached the ruins, he demonstrated to Locke that he could walk with a cane and told him that it was due to his presence. He also told Locke that he must kill his father in order to fulfill his potential. That night, he tried to get Locke to do just that, giving him a knife and showing him his father tied to the ruins. Locke was unable to commit murder, and the next morning Ben told him the Others were leaving him and his father behind. He said they would leave a trail Locke could follow, but that he shouldn't bother unless he came carrying his dead father. ("The Brig")
Two days later, on his birthday, Ben realized that his tape recorder was missing. Unknown to him, Locke had stolen it and given it to Sawyer. Before he could deal with this, Locke walked into the camp bearing his father's dead body. Ben told Locke about Jacob and Locke demanded to be taken to him. Ben refused, saying he was the only person who had ever seen Jacob. Locke accused him of lying to everyone. Mikhail appeared with news of the arrival of Naomi, interrupting Locke and Ben's conversation. Locke announced that Ben would be taking him to see Jacob before doing anything else. Ben tried to put him off with Mikhail's news, but Locke, in order to regain priority, beat Mikhail senseless. Ben could not rouse any of the Others to help Mikhail as he was being beaten by Locke. Ben finally agreed to take Locke to Jacob. Before their departure, Alex gave Locke a gun as a "birthday present" to her dad. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
The two men crossed a gray ash border that surrounded Jacob's cabin. Ben warned Locke to put his flashlight away, telling him, "He feels the same way about technology as you do." He knocked on the door, announcing their presence to Jacob. Ben began to speak to an empty chair, claiming Jacob was sitting in it. Locke, believing Ben to be insane, started to leave, but stopped as a deep voice said, "Help me." He turned and asked Ben to repeat what he had just said. Ben had not said or heard anything and realized that Jacob must have spoken to Locke. Locke pulled out his flashlight, causing Jacob to react in outrage. Ben tried to calm him but was thrown across the room in Jacob's fury. Locke then left the cabin, with Ben close behind. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
The next day, Ben led Locke to an open pit filled with the bodies of the DHARMA Initiative. Ben told Locke that he wasn't born on the Island, and that when the DHARMA Initiative couldn't live peacefully with the natives, the natives began to purge the Island of the Initiative with his help. He then shot Locke, sending him into the pit, and demanded to know what Jacob had said to him. Locke told him Jacob's words: "Help me." Ben was wounded by this, and left Locke to the mercies of Jacob. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Ben returned to the Others' temporary camp and thanked Alex sarcastically for giving Locke the gun, knowing what her real intentions were. He then ordered Richard and Pryce to conduct the planned raid on the survivors' camp a day early, telling them to kidnap all of the women and kill all of the men stupid enough to get in their way. When Richard questioned this course of action, Ben said he was following Jacob's orders. ("Greatest Hits")
That evening, while writing in his diary, Ben was informed by Greta and Bonnie via radio that Charlie had reached Looking Glass station. Ben ordered Mikhail to travel there and kill Charlie, and attempted to contact the crew in charge of the raid. He was not able to reach them, as they had turned their radios off in preparation for their attack on the camp. Ben was contacted later by Tom, who informed him that the raid had gone awry and that several Others were killed, but that Sayid, Jin, and Bernard had been captured. Ben ordered Tom to threaten to shoot Jin to make one of the captives talk. Bernard broke down and Ben learned that Juliet and Karl had leaked the information about the raid. He also found out that the destination of the survivors was the radio tower.
Ben ordered Richard to take the Others to the Temple while he went alone to the radio tower to stop the survivors. When Alex demanded to go along, Ben didn't put up a fight. At a stop during the journey, Alex confronted Ben about his treatment of Karl. He explained that his actions towards Karl, including keeping him in one of the cages and later in Room 23, were motivated by his fear of her getting pregnant. When Alex questioned why he couldn't just let Jack and the other survivors escape the Island, his only answer was, "Because I can't!" ("Through the Looking Glass")
Upon encountering the survivors, Ben persuaded Jack to talk with him alone for five minutes. Once alone with Jack, Ben alluded to his own past role in the purge and warned Jack that contacting Naomi's boat will result in death for everyone on the Island. He quickly realized that Jack was unmoved by his revelation, so he radioed Tom with orders to kill Sayid, Jin, and Bernard if Tom did not hear back from Ben in one minute. Ben gave Jack that minute to fetch Naomi's radio and give it to him. Jack refused, and gunshots were heard over Ben's radio. Jack punched Ben in the face several times and dragged him back to the survivors. Ben fell to the ground, and Alex came toward him with concern. Ben noticed Rousseau watching Alex, and introduced them to each other as mother and daughter. ("Through the Looking Glass")
Season 4 (Days 91-97)
Now bound to a tree, Ben watched as his daughter and Karl had a picnic. He tried to convince Rousseau to take Alex and get as far away from Jack's group as possible. When he referred to Alex as his daughter, Rousseau punched him again, citing that Alex was not his daughter. Ben said nothing as he watched Naomi crawl away. Later, he watched Kate pickpocket the satellite phone away from Jack, but again said nothing. Jack and Rousseau hauled Ben along with them into the jungle to find Naomi. When Jack discovered that he had followed the wrong trail and that Kate had taken the phone, Ben worked Jack into a rage by pointing out each of the mistakes he had made. He told Jack he said nothing because he "owed him one" for the beating he had received earlier. Jack and Rousseau turned back, dragging Ben behind them on their way to meet up with the other survivors. When they arrived at the cockpit, tensions escalated among the assembled survivors with regard to the intent of the freighter people and the group began to split into separate factions. While being dragged by Rousseau toward Locke's group, Ben took the opportunity to needle Jack one more time by asking his permission to go with Locke. Jack let him go, telling Locke, "He's all yours." ("The Beginning of the End")
Locke told his group they needed to visit a cabin before moving on to the barracks. When Hurley said he thought the cabin was in a different direction, both Ben and Locke were surprised, though Hurley covered himself by saying he thought they meant the plane's cabin. Ben tried to talk to Alex, but she ignored him and Karl told him off. He tried to manipulate Sawyer, saying that he wouldn't have a chance with Kate once they were rescued. Sawyer beat him and wanted to kill him, but was stopped by Locke. However, Locke changed his mind after Ben stole a gun and shot Charlotte, who had just arrived on the Island. Locke was about to shoot him, despite Alex's protests, when Ben offered him information. Locke asked what the Monster was, but Ben said he didn't know. He did reveal that he knew Charlotte's name and entire history, and had the same information on the other members of her team. He went on to say that they were on the Island in search of him. When asked how he knew this information, Ben said he had a spy working on the freighter. ("Confirmed Dead")
Ben refused to share the identity of his spy, knowing that this piece of information might well be the only thing keeping him alive. He returned to the barracks as a prisoner, and Locke left him tied to a chair in the rec room, where he briefly confronted fellow captive Sayid (with Sayid noting that the day he trusted Ben would be the day he had sold his soul). ("The Economist")
He was later moved to the basement of his own home by Rousseau during the night. The next day, Locke made him breakfast and demanded he tell him everything about the freighter and the people on it. Ben remarked that Locke must be desperate, having to seek help from Ben after Jacob abandoned him, which made Locke upset. Later, Kate brought Miles to the basement, where he told Ben that he would say Ben was dead for $3.2 million. Miles told Ben he had one week to comply to his demand. ("Eggtown")
Sometime later, Locke brought him a dinner with cooked rabbit. Ben asked Locke if the rabbit was numbered, to Locke's confusion. He then said that Locke was a leader, and that his people would begin to get restless if Locke did not develop a plan, which Ben always had. Locke asked Ben (to Ben's surprise) if that plan involved getting $3.2 million. Ben then made a deal with Locke. After showing a cassette tape of Charles Widmore beating an unknown Other, he stated that Widmore was in charge of the freighter, and that he wanted to exploit the Island. He then stated that he would tell Locke who the person on the boat was if Locke would simply give him a limited freedom. Locke agreed, and Ben presumably told Locke that his spy is Michael. Afterward, Ben was seen walking outside by Sawyer and Hurley. When questioned by them, he merely stated that he'd see them at dinner. ("The Other Woman")
Later, Locke organized a meeting with the entire group, during which Ben revealed that they must protect him because the freighter people's orders are to kill everyone else on the Island after they capture Ben. He also revealed to everyone that Michael is his spy on the boat, much to their shock and anger. After the meeting, Ben asked Alex, Karl, and Rousseau to stay behind and go to the Temple using a map he drew for them. Though at first reluctant, they eventually agreed after some persuasion by Ben. Once in the jungle however, Rousseau and Karl were shot and Alex saved herself by screaming to her unseen assailants, "I'm Ben's daughter!" ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
The next day, Locke and Sawyer told him of a mysterious phonecall where a voice repeated the code "14J" over and over. A now frightened Ben revealed that Widmore's people had crossed the Sonic Fence and must be right on their doorstep by now. He and Locke barricaded themselves with Hurley and Aaron in Ben's house, while Sawyer engaged the mercenaries in gunfire, trying to save Claire and the others. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
The door bell rings and Miles enters the house with a walkie for Ben to speak to Keamy. Ben reveals he knows all the details of Keamys past and says he knows exactly what kind of man Keamy is. Angered, Keamy calls out for Alex and tells Ben he is going to kill her. Ben attempts to throw of Keamy by saying Alex is nothing to him and he doesnt care about her but Keamy kills her anyway.
In a state of shock Ben mumbles "they changed the rules" and runs into his secret room, locking sawyer and Locke out. Inside he opens another hidden door. It is unknown exactly what he did inside but it would seem he summoned the smoke monster. When he comes back out he tells everyone that when he says so they have to run out of the barracks. He looks out the window and sees the smoke attacking Keamy and his people and Bens people go out side. Ben tells Locke he will catch up to them after he says goodbye to his daughter.
Later Ben tells everyone they are going to see Jacob and Saywer decides he has heard enough from these "wackos". Sawyer leaves attempting to take everyone with him but Locke and Ben argue that they need Hurley. Sawyer gives in and Ben tells Locke and Hurley to follow him. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
That night, Locke woke up from a dream to find Ben staring at him. Ben stated that he used to have dreams. They then continue on. They come upon the mass grave, and Locke explains to Hurley about Ben's massacre of the Dharma Initiative. However, Ben denies this and states it wasn't his decision. Locke, meanwhile, begins rummaging in the grave. Ben reacts with shock when Locke finds the corpse of Horace Goodspeed. Horace's pocket contains a scematic of Jacob's cabin, as well as a map to it. Upon reaching the cabin, Locke enters alone, because Ben believes that his own time has gone. While Locke is inside, Hurley and Ben awkwardly split an Apollo Bar. Suddenly, Locke exits the cabin, stating that Christian Shephard told him to move the island. ("Cabin Fever")
After the rescue of the Oceanic 6
Ben tells Sayid he escaped the island using the Elizabeth, and sailed on a bearing to get to Fiji, where he flew out on a plane from there. However, based on his strange appearance in the middle of the desert, this is likely not the real explanation of how he left the island. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
Ben is shown in the middle of the Sahara desert, wearing a parka with a DHARMA logo and the name "Halliwax" on it. He was held up at gunpoint by two men, but quickly disposed of both of them. He went to Tunisia and asked for a room under the name Dean Moriarty, and also asked what the current date was. Ben noticed Sayid was on TV in the lobby.
Ben then traveled to Tikrit, Iraq, where he spied on Nadia's funeral, which was also being watched by Bakir, an agent of Widmore. After Sayid spotted and confronted him, Ben revealed evidence suggesting that Bakir had murdered Nadia in California. Not long after this, Ben confronted Bakir in an alley. Soon after their conversation began, Sayid shot Bakir from behind and then emptied his gun into him, killing him. Ben attempted to part with Sayid at this point, but Sayid insisted, over Ben's (possibly feigned) objections, that he help Ben get revenge against Widmore, saying "Who's next?" Ben said he'd be in touch, and while walking away, he smiled to himself about having recruited Sayid as an employee and hitman. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
Eventually, Ben went to Widmore's penthouse in London to confront him directly. Ben found Widmore in bed, haggard and with a half-empty bottle of scotch at his bedside. Widmore asked whether Ben was there to kill him, and Ben stated that he was unable to kill Charles (for some unstated reason that both of them apparently knew). Charles claimed that the island belonged to him--that it had always belonged to him--and that Ben had "stolen" it. Ben then told Charles that he planned to avenge Alex by killing Charles's daughter, Penny. Charles revealed that he had hidden Penny somewhere, and stated that the race was on to see whether he could find the island before Ben could find Penny. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
From the Tikrit meeting on, Sayid continued to work for Ben as a hitman to eliminate a number of persons from a list, including Mr. Avellino and an "economist". While on assignment for Ben to kill the "economist", Sayid ended up killing Elsa in self-defense.
After Sayid showed some remorse for killing Elsa, Ben suggested that the people Sayid was being sent to kill were not good people and that Sayid's "friends" would be in danger if these people were left alive. Ben then told Sayid that he had another name for him. When Sayid responded that "they" now knew he was looking for them, Ben simply responded, "Good." ("The Economist")
Aliases
Benjamin Linus has taken on various names to cover up his identity.
- Henry Gale – A reference to Dorothy Gale's uncle Henry from The Wizard of Oz, but also the name of a balloonist who crashed on the Island
- Dean Moriarty – The name of a free-wheeling character in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, reportedly based on Neal Cassady. ("The Economist") Alternatively, "Moriarty" evokes Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' nemesis and widely considered fiction's first "supervillain," creating the archetype of the brilliant criminal mastermind.
Trivia
- Ben was the sixth character to ever have a flash-forward.
- Ben was the twenty-fourth character to ever have a flashback.
- Ben's episode count as of "Cabin Fever" is 32.
- Ben commonly uses a 16" telescopic baton as a self defense weapon.
- Technically, Ben is the cause of both his parents' deaths.
- He says that he hates needles, although he may have said this as part of conning Sawyer. ("Every Man for Himself")
- Juliet told Ben about his tumor the day before the crash. ("One of Us") However, 72 days after the crash, Ben told Jack, "Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky." ("The Cost of Living")
- Ben's tumor was on his L4 vertebrae.[1]
- On Ben's passport, part of the serial number reads "HNSO", which is similar to Hanso.
- When given a copy of The Brothers Karamazov by Locke, Ben asked, "You don't have any Stephen King?" ("Maternity Leave") Three months earlier, Ben had displayed a dislike of one of King's novels, Carrie, to Juliet. ("One of Us")
- The story of The Brothers Karamazov revolves around four brothers who murder their father.
- In "Through the Looking Glass", Ben's eyes change from a brilliant green when he is talking to Richard Alpert, to a greyish-blue when he is talking to Jack.
- His use of the alias "Henry" in Season 2 earned him the nickname "Benry" among some fans.
- The vehicles that were used in the opening scene of "The Man Behind the Curtain" could inform the year of Ben's birth:
- An anonymous source associated with the production claims that he was ordered to get cars 1963 or older for the Portland scene.[2]
- The green car appears to be a Dodge Dart two-door Hardtop '65 (the rear lens, front hood, and grille are different from '63 and '64 models)
- In the Season 3 DVD commentary for "The Man Behind the Curtain", it is explained that Ben, as leader, and Richard Alpert, as someone who nominates the leader, keep each other in "check" by having the power to pick each other's replacement on the Island.
- Also in the commentary, the producers describe the battle between Ben and Locke as being a multi-chapter showdown for the title of "Master of the Island".
- At the barracks, Ben's study prominently features preserved moths in framed displays. At least one of these was taken with him to the ruins.
- Ben's birthday, December 21, is the winter (aka southern) solstice (when the Sun's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane from the observer). The day is significant as it always marks the shortest day of sunlight or the longest night of every year in the Northern Hemisphere. As the Island may well be south of the Equator, the opposite could be true in his current residence.
- Compare Ben's birthdate to the day of Oceanic Flight 815's crash/the first airdate of Lost which was September 22, aka the autumnal (in the Northern hemisphere) equinox-- the moment in time when the center of the Sun can be observed to be directly above the Earth's equator. This effectively makes September 22, and likewise March 20 (vernal equinox) periods when day and night last approximately 12 hours each. (Usually the day is slightly longer than the night.)
- Ben kills either of his parents (as mentioned above) on this day, as well as the day of The Purge, in addition to the day that Ben convinces Locke to orchestrate Anthony Cooper's death, setting up a unique Oedipal pattern. Finally, the day of the winter solstice marks the first time Jacob is seen/heard on the show, and to Locke personally.
- Ben was born prematurely. (He was born 'before his time.')
- Both Ben and the polar bear Charlotte was investigating ended up in Tunisia
Name references
- In the Bible, Benjamin is the youngest son of Jacob.
- In Hebrew, Ben translates as Son or Son of. Also, the first appearance of the name LINUS is in reference to the "son of Apollo, the Sun God." Apollo accidentally killed this son in a contest. Therefore, his name could be translated as "The Son of the son of the Sun God" - not likely, but how could a translation like this go unposted?
- In classical Greek mythology, Linus was a god-gifted musician who taught Heracles how to play the lyre. The orginal Linus was a lyre expert. Ben Linus is an expert liar.
- Ben's mother died while giving birth to him, just like the biblical Benjamin's mother. Both were named by their dying mothers. In English the Hebrew name Benyomin means both "Son of the South" and "Son of the Right" (as opposed to left).
- His pseudonym and supposed way of coming to the Island refers to the children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. "Henry Gale" is Dorothy Gale's Uncle Henry in the popular 1939 film adaptation of the book (the original books never mention Henry's surname), while the hot air balloon refers to the Wizard himself, who landed on Oz (and subsequently left it) in a hot air balloon. This analogy could be taken one step further by assuming that "Henry", like the Wizard, was the "man behind the curtain", i.e. the real leader of the Others, while previously we were led to believe that Tom, or to a greater degree Alvar Hanso, was in charge. Interestingly enough, Ben Linus was also the keeper of the submarine, the only way off the Island. In Ozma of Oz, the third book in Baum's Oz series, Uncle Henry is ordered by his doctor to take a vacation to Australia. He and his niece Dorothy depart on a steamship and, during a storm, Dorothy is blown overboard with one of her uncle's hens. She and the hen are washed ashore to a place that Dorothy guesses is some sort of "fairy country", as Oz has no seashores.
- The feast day of (Pope) Saint Linus (commemorating his death) is September 23.
- See the theories section for more possible (unconfirmed) name references.
Additional casting
- Sterling Beaumon played the role of Young Ben in "The Man Behind the Curtain."
Unanswered questions
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Ben Linus/Theories
Before Crash
- How did Ben become the leader of the Others?
- Who was the leader of the Others before Ben?
- How and when did he meet Rousseau?
- How did he come to meet Henry Gale, and how did it come about that he had been buried?
Post Crash
- If the Island heals people, how did Ben get his tumor?
- When he told Locke that he personally came for him, was he telling the truth?
- Why did he tell Jack, Locke, and all of the Others that he was born on the Island when he wasn't? ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- How did Ben call the smoke monster from the secret room in his house?
- Why did he tell Locke that the button in the swan-station would be meaningless when it obviously was very important to the whole island?
- When and where was the photo taken that Miles showed Jack and Juliet?
- How would he be able to acquire $3.2 million while seemingly being stuck on the Island?
- Where did Ben go and what did he do when he locked himself in the room and went through the secret doorway on the Island in his house?
Off Island
In the Past
- How much time has Ben spent off the Island since initially arriving as a child?
- If, indeed, Ben has the ability to come and go from the Island, why did he need Jack to perform his spinal surgery?
In the Future
- Who is on Ben's list?
- Is he able to return to the Island at will in the future?
- Why was he wearing a parka?
- Why was Ben's arm injured when he arrived in the Sahara?
- What are "the rules" between Ben and Widmore?
- Why does Widmore believe Ben stole the Island from him?
- Why did Ben ask for the date while in Tunisia?
- How did he arrive in the Sahara?
See also
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