Initial Reaction to "What They Died For"

The Penultimate. It was everything I'd hoped it would be. Everything is finally starting to make sense now. This episode really set up the finale. It was even funny, which is something that I was not expecting at all, but also enjoyed a lot. I think that I'm finally starting to see the big picture and have idea of just how all of this is going to come together. Don't get me wrong, I still have no clue how it's going to end, but the options are becoming clearer more now than they ever have before. This episode also made a lot of things from last week's "Across the Sea" make a lot more sense to me. So, listen, haters. You were wrong. Admit it. Thank you. Now, we can be friends. So, let's talk about "What They Died For" because I can't wait to discuss it. This is going to be a long post.

From Lostpedia

5.12 Dead is Dead

1. A man riding horseback, he rides into a camp, gets off his horse, everyone notices his arrival, they begin gathering around him, he calls out for Richard, asks what have you done Richard, Richard says to calm down, that it has nothing to do with him, the man asks if he actually brought one of them to their Temple, Richard says that he's just a boy, and he was dying, the man says then he should have let him die, Richard says that Jacob wanted it done, he says that the island chooses who the island chooses, and he knows that, the man says yes of course, asks what's his name, the boy. From Lostpedia
2. "Jacob wanted it done. The Island chooses who the Island chooses. You know that." Richard
3. The man goes to see Ben in a tent, sits by him, he says hello Benjamin, Ben asks what happened, the man says that he was injured, Ben asks how, the man says he doesn't remember, Ben asks where is he, the man says he's among friends, that they're going to take care of him, Ben asks about his dad, is he there, the man says that he'll be back to him soon enough, Ben says that he doesn't want to go back, he wants to stay, he wants to be one of them, the man says that just because he's living with them, doesn't mean that he can't be one of them, the man says that he should be dead, but this island saved his life, Ben asks who is he, the man says that his name is Charles Widmore. From Lostpedia
4. "Just because you're living with them doesn't mean you can't be one of us. You should be dead, Benjamin. But this Island... it saved your life." Charles Widmore
5. John Locke wakes Ben up at The Hydra, he says hello Ben, welcome back to the land of the living, Ben says my God, he's alive, Locke says yes he is, Ben says he knew it, knew that this would happen, Locke asks then why is he so surprised to see him, Ben says that it's one thing to believe it, it's another thing to see it, Locke asks then why was he trying to run away to the main island, Ben says that he broke the rules, he came back to the island, he was going to answer for what he's done, he was going back to be judged, Locke says judged by whom, Ben says they don't even have a word for it, but he believes that he calls it the monster. From Lostpedia
6. "My God. You're alive." Ben "Yes, I am." Locke "I knew it. I knew that this would happen." Ben "Then why are you so surprised to see me?" Locke "Because it's one thing to believe it, John. It's another thing to see it." Ben "Then why were you trying to run away to the main Island?" Locke "I broke the rules, John. I came back to the Island. I was going to answer for what I'd done. I was going back... to be judged." Ben "Judged? By whom?" Locke "Well, J-John, we don't even have a word for it, but I believe you call it the Monster." Ben
7. Oh the beach, Hydra island, the survivors of Flight 316, they're gathering some things, a few are packing up a cargo container, Ben asks Ilana what's in the crate, she says nothing, just some stuff they need to get moved, Ben asks if they need a hand, they say thanks, but they have it, Ben says okay, have a great day, Ben drinks from an Ajira Airways water bottle, Caesar approaches him, asks how he's feeling, my friend, Ben says like someone hit him with an oar, but he'll live, they watch Locke, who is looking out at the water, Caesar asks Ben what he makes of him, Ben says that he's not sure, asks what he's told him, Caesar says when he was out cold, he was watching over him, and he said that he killed him, Ben says he killed him, really because he looks fine to him, Ben says he doesn't really remember him from the plane, asks Caesar does he, Caesar says no, Ben says what if he was already here before they crashed, and if he thinks he killed him, then he's insane, then they're dealing with a man who is dangerously deranged, then the question is what are they going to do about it, Caesar says don't worry, shows Ben his gun, says he has his back, introduces himself as Caesar, Ben introduces himself, says pleasure to meet you. From Lostpedia
8. "What if... he was already here, before we crashed? If he thinks I killed him, then he's insane. We may be dealing with a man who's dangerously deranged. Then the question is, what are we gonna do about it?" Ben
9. Young Ben and Ethan watch by from the shore line of the beach, Ethan says he can do it if Ben wants him to, Ben says that Jacob instructed him, to shut up and stay there, Ben goes to a hut, with a gun, knocks over a music box, a baby is whining, Rousseau goes to grab her rifle, Ben says don't do it, she says he's the one who infected them isn't he, speaks French, Ben takes her baby, asks Rousseau if he wants her baby to live, he shoots the ground, he says to be grateful that she's still alive, to listen to him, if she tries to follow him, or if she ever comes looking for him, he'll kill her, and if she wants her child to live, every time she hears whispers, she runs the other way, Ben leaves with baby Alex. From Lostpedia
10. "Be grateful you're still alive. Now you listen to me. If you try to follow me or if you ever come looking for me, I'll kill you. And if you want your child to live, every time you hear whispers, you run the other way." Ben
11. At The Hydra building, in Ben's former office, he's looking for something, opening drawers, he finds a photograph of him and Alex, Locke comes in, asks what's that, Ben says that it's just something sentimental, folds it, puts it in his pocket, Locke says so this is his old office, that he never pictured him leading his people from behind a desk, seems a little corporate, Locke sits at Ben's desk, puts his feet up, Ben asks if there was something that he needed, Locke says that he was hoping they could talk about the elephant in the room, Ben says he's assuming that he's referring to the fact that he killed him, Locke says yeah, Ben says that it was the only way to get him back to the island, along with as many who left as possible, he says you do remember, that's why he left in the first place, to convince them to come back, and he failed, the only way to do that was for him to die, and he understood that, that's why he was about to kill himself, but Ben stopped him, Locke asks if all he had to do was die, then why did he stop him, Ben says that he had critical information that would have died with him, and once he'd given it to him, well he just didn't have time to talk him back into hanging himself, so he took a shortcut, but he's here, he's back, just like the rest of them, he doesn't know where they are exactly yet, but they came, it worked, and that's why he did it, because it was in the best interest of the island, Locke says he was just hoping for an apology, says he's decided to help him, Ben says help him do what, Locke says do what he says he was going to do, be judged, Ben says that's not something he wants to see, Locke says if everything he did was in the best interest of the island, then he's sure the monster will understand, Locke says let's go. From Lostpedia
12. "Well, Ben, I was hoping that you and I could talk about the elephant in the room." Locke "I assume you're referring to the fact that I killed you." Ben "Yeah." Locke "It was the only way to get you back to the Island, along with as many of those who left as possible. You do remember, John--that's why you left in the first place, to convince them to come back? But you failed. And the only way to bring them together was by your death, and you understood that. It's why you were about to kill yourself when I stopped you." Ben "If all I had to do was die, Ben, they why did you stop me?" Locke "You had critical information that would've died with you. And once you'd given it to me... well, I just didn't have time to talk you back into hanging yourself. So, I took a shortcut. And look at you, John. I was right. You're here. You're back. So are the rest of them. I don't know where yet exactly, but they came. It worked. And that's why I did it, because it was in the best interests of the Island." Ben
13. "If everything you've done has been in the best interests of the Island... then I'm sure the Monster will understand." Locke
14. On the beach, they uncover some of the outrigger canoes, Caesar comes up, asks Locke what he's doing, he says he's taking a boat, Caesar says where, Lock says over to the main island, Caesar says he doesn't think so, Locke says are these your boats, Caesar says are they yours, Locke says his name is Caesar, that he was under the impression that they were found here, so he's just going to borrow one, he's happy to leave one for him in case he wants to follow us, Caesar says us, asks Ben if he's going with him, Ben says that he didn't really give him a choice, Caesar says he's sorry, but he's calling the shots here, and he says that he's not taking anything, what he's going to do is sit down and tell him how he knows so much about this island, my friend, Locke hits the sand out of his shoes, says Caesar is in the habit of calling people friend, but he doesn't think he means it, Caesar says to step away from the boat, Locke says no, that he's taking the boat, and he's going to let him, Caesar says he's not taking anything, goes to grab his gun, Ben asks if he's looking for this, takes his gun out, shoots Caesar, tells the others that this gentleman and I are taking a boat, asks if anyone else has a problem with that, they back off, Ben throws the gun to Locke, says to consider that his apology. From Lostpedia
15. "I'm sorry, but I'm calling the shots here, and I say you are not taking anything. What you are going to do is to sit down and tell us how you know so much about this Island, my friend." Caesar
16. " You looking for this? [Ben fires, blowing Caesar away. Struck square in the chest, Caesar flies backwards with a grunt. Ben turns the gun to the other three men.] This gentleman and I are taking a boat. Does anyone else have a problem with that? [Stunned, the other three men shake their heads and back away. Ben throws the shotgun to Locke, who catches it.] Consider that my apology." Ben
17. Locke and Ben paddling the outrigger canoe, they dock at the Pala Ferry, Ben says home sweet home, Locke notices another outrigger there, he says that it looks like they're not the first ones who decided to tie up there, Ben says that would be Sun and Lapidus, he says that he showed them where the boats were, and Sun thanked him by smashing him on the head with a paddle, Locke sits on the dock to put his shoes back on, Locke asks Ben if she's the one that hurt his arm, that he noticed he was favoring it on the way over, Ben says no, someone else hurt his arm, Locke says that he just makes friends everywhere he goes, doesn't he, Ben says that he's found that sometimes friends could be significantly more dangerous that enemies, Locke asks if that's why he shot an unarmed man in the chest, Ben says that the man was unarmed because he'd stolen his gun that he was going to use to kill him, that he couldn't let that happen, he says you're welcome, Locke asks if they're going to his old house, aren't they, Ben says yes, it's the only place he can summon it, the monster, and once it arrives he'll either be forgiven or he won't, Locke says he thinks he's lying, Ben says lying about what, Locke says that he wants to be judged for leaving the island and coming back because it's against the rules, but he doesn't think that Ben cares about rules, Ben asks then what does he want to be judged for, Locke says for killing his daughter, Ben is surprised. From Lostpedia
18. "It's the only place I can summon it... the "monster." Once it arrives, I'll either be forgiven... or I won't." Ben "I think you're lying." Locke "Lying about what?" Ben "That you want to be judged for leaving the Island and coming back because it's against the rules. I don't think you care about rules." Locke "Then what do I want to be judged for, John?" Ben "For killing your daughter." Locke
19. Ben and Ethan with Alex, they get back to their camp, Charles Widmore asks, well did he do it, Ben says they had a complication, Widmore says he's sorry, asks is that a baby, he says that his orders were to exterminate that woman, Ben says why, she's not a threat to them, she's insane, besides, he didn't tell him that she had a child, asks what was it he was supposed to do, Widmore says kill it, Ben says it's not an it, it's a child, Widmore says he might find it difficult to understand, but that every decision he's made has been about protecting this island, Ben says is killing the baby what Jacob wants, Ben says then here she is, hands to Alex over to Widmore, says you do it, Widmore scoffs at him, walks away, Ben holds Alex, Richard watches.
    From Lostpedia
20. "You might find this difficult to understand, Benjamin... every decision I've made has been about protecting this Island." Widmore "Is killing this baby what Jacob wants?" Ben
21. At the barracks, the Processing Center sign dangles from a building, Locke and Ben arrive, Locke says who's idea was it to move into these houses, Ben says excuse him, Locke says that his people were living in the jungle, then after they murdered the DHARMA folk, they relocated here, he just wanted to know if it was his idea, Ben asks if he disapproves, Locke says that it just doesn't seem like something the island would want, Ben says that he wouldn't have the first idea what this island wants, Locke asks if he's sure about that, they see a light go on inside a house, Locke says that was his house, Ben says yes, and that was Alex's room, Locke says then he supposes he better go over there and check it out, Ben goes into his house, which is dark, on the table, plates with old food, RISK game, Ben goes to the bedroom, opens the door, Sun is inside, she's startled, Frank comes in, asks Ben what he's doing there, Ben says that it used to be his house, he saw a light turned on, asks what the two of them are doing there, Frank shows Ben the DHARMA Initiative NEW RECRUITS photograph, Sun says that was taken in 1977, Ben asks are you trying to tell me that your friends were in the DHARMA Initiative, Sun asks he doesn't know about this, Ben says of course he didn't, asks where they got the photograph, Frank says they met some crazy old man outside, Sun says he said his name was Christian, that he told them to go in there and wait, Ben asks wait for what, Sun says that he said if she ever wanted to see her husband again, she had to wait there for John Locke, Franks says but considering he's dead, they're going to hold their breath, Ben says well he might want to look outside, which they do, and Locke is there, waiting, he waves at them. From Lostpedia
22. "Well, your people were living in the jungle. And then after you murdered the DHARMA folk, you relocated here. I just wondered if it was your idea." Locke "Do you disapprove, John?" Ben "It just doesn't seem like something the Island would want." Locke "You don't have the first idea what this Island wants." Ben "Are you sure about that?" Locke
23. "He said if I ever wanted to see my husband again, I had to wait here for John Locke." Sun "But considering he's dead, we ain't holding our breath." Frank "Well, you might want to look outside." Ben
24. Locke inside, they all look at him, Sun says what he's saying, it's impossible, Locke says but here he is, he doesn't know how, doesn't know why, but he's sure there's a very good reason for it, Frank says as long as the dead guy says there's a reason, he guesses everything is going to be peachy, and forget about the fact that the rest of their people are supposedly 30 years ago, now the only ones there to help them are a murderer and a guy that can't seem to remember how he got out of a coffin, he tells Sun, please, let's just go back to plane and see if he can fix the radio and get some help, Locke says if she leaves with him, she'll never find her husband again, that he's all the help she needs, Sun asks if he's saying he knows how to find them, how to find Jin, Locke says that he has some ideas, Frank says he's sorry to say, but he's leaving with or without her, Sun says that if there's any chance of finding her husband, then she has to stay, Frank says alright, for God's sake, to watch her back, he leaves, Sun says alright, how do they find Jin, Locke says that Ben has something to do first, isn't that right Ben, Ben says yes John that's right, Locke says he better get to it then.
25. "What you're saying, it's... impossible." Sun "But here I am. I don't know how, I don't know why, but I'm sure there's a very good reason for it." Locke
26. Ben pulls out his bookcase, goes into the secret room, moves the clothes rack, opens the secret door, pushes the hieroglyphs door open, lights a match, then a lantern, he goes down a dark staircase, crawls through a tunnel, into a room, there is a hole filled with water, Ben unclogs the hole, flushes the water down the hole, he says that he'll be outside, he leaves the underground room.
    From Lostpedia
27. Ben pushing Alex on a swing, Richard says any higher, she'll fly right off the island, he tells Ben the sub is about to leave, Richard says he doesn't have to see him off, but Ben says yes, he does.
28. At the Pala Ferry, the sub is docked, Widmore is in handcuffs, being escorted by two men, Ben says he's came to say goodbye, Widmore says no he didn't, that he came to gloat, Ben says don't act as if he wanted this, that he brought this on himself, Widmore asks if he's certain that he wants to do this, Ben says that he left the island regularly, that he had a daughter with an outsider, that he broke the rules, Widmore asks and what makes him think that he deserves to take what's his, Ben says because he won't be selfish, he'll sacrifice anything to protect the island, Widmore says that he wouldn't sacrifice Alex, Ben says that he's the one that wanted her dead, not the island, Widmore says that he hopes he's right, because if he isn't, and it is the island that wants her dead, she'll be dead, and he'll be standing where he is now, he'll be the one being banished, and then he'll finally realize that he cannot fight the inevitable, he says I'll be seeing you boy, leaves on the sub. From Lostpedia
29. "You left the Island regularly. You had a daughter with an outsider. You broke the rules, Charles." Ben "And what makes you think you deserve to take what's mine?" Widmore "Because I won't be selfish. Because I'll sacrifice anything to protect this Island." Ben "You wouldn't sacrifice Alex." Widmore "You're the one who wanted her dead, Charles, not the Island." Ben "I hope you're right, Benjamin, because if you aren't, and it is the Island that wants her dead, she'll be dead. And one day, you'll be standing where I'm standing now. You'll be the one being banished, and then you'll finally realize that you cannot fight the inevitable. I'll be seeing you, boy." Ben 
30. At Ben's house, Sun waits outside, Ben comes out, asks where did John go, Sun says that he said he had something to do, Ben asks did he say what it was, Sun says no, she didn't ask, Sun says that Jack must've lied, Ben says excuse me, Sun says about Locke being dead, that's the only explanation, Ben says that Jack didn't lie, John was dead, Sun says just because he was in a coffin, doesn't mean that he couldn't have faked his death, Ben says to trust him, he's sure, Sun says so he knew this would happen to Locke if they brought him back here, Ben says he had no idea it would happen, that he's seen the island do miraculous things, he's seen it heal the sick, but never once has it done anything like this, dead is dead, you don't get to come back from that, not even here, so the fact that John Locke is walking around this island, scares the living hell out of him, they hear something rustling around in the jungle, Ben says she may want to go inside, Sun asks why, Ben says because what's about to come out of that jungle, is something that he can't control, Sun gets up, they hear something else, and it's Locke who comes out of the jungle, he asks any luck, Ben says it hasn't shown up yet, Locke says last time they didn't have to wait this long, Ben says it's not a train, it doesn't run on a schedule, Locke says if it's not going to go to them, then he guesses they'll have to go to it, Ben says that it doesn't work that way, he only knows how to summon it, he doesn't know where it actually is, Locke says that he does.
31. "So you knew this would happen to Locke if we brought him back here?" Sun "Sun, I had no idea it would happen. I've seen this Island do miraculous things. I've seen it heal the sick, but never once has it done anything like this. Dead is dead. You don't get to come back from that, not even here. So the fact that John Locke is walking around this Island... scares the living hell out of me." Ben
32. "Well, if it's not gonna come to us, then... I suppose we'll have to go to it." Locke "It doesn't work that way. I only know how to summon it. I don't know where it actually is." Ben "I do." Locke
33. Locke and Sun, Locke says that it's weird for him too, Sun says excuse me, Locke says he realizes how strange this all is, him here, but I assures you, Sun, he's the same man he's always been, Ben comes out, Locke asks are you ready, Ben says to lead the way.
34. "It's weird for me, too." Locke "Excuse me?" Sun "I realize how strange this all is--me, here. But I assure you, Sun, I'm the same man I've always been. Are you ready?" Locke "Lead the way." Ben
35. At the Long Beach Marina, Ben calls Charles Widmore, he asks how he got this number, Ben says that it doesn't matter, but what matters is, he's going back to the island today, Widmore says that the island won't let him come back, to trust him, he says that he spent almost 20 years trying to get back to the island, Ben says well, where he failed, he's going to succeed, but just as soon as he does one thing, Widmore asks and what's that, Ben says kill your daughter, he says that, in fact, he's looking at Our Mutual Friend right now, Widmore says he doesn't know what he's talking about, Ben says it's the name of the boat that Penny is on, Widmore says don't you dare, Ben says goodbye, Charles. From Lostpedia
36. "The Island won't let you come back, trust me. I've spent almost 20 years trying to return." Widmore "Well, Charles, where you failed, I'm going to succeed... just as soon as I do one thing." Ben "And what's that, Benjamin?" Widmore "Kill your daughter. In fact, I'm looking at Our Mutual Friend right now." Ben
37. Walking through jungle, Ben says may I ask you question, Locke says shoot, Ben says how is it that you know where you're going, Locke says that he just does, Ben asks how does that work exactly, the knowing, did it come upon gradually, or did he wake up one morning suddenly understanding the mysteries of the universe, Locke asks he doesn't like this, does he, Ben says what, Locke says having to ask questions that he doesn't know the answer to, blindly following someone in the hopes that they'll lead you to whatever you're looking for, Ben says no, he doesn't like it at all, Locke says well, now he knows what it was like to be him, Sun says they should keep moving, Locke says yes they should, Ben says thinks he knows where they're going now, it's the same place they brought him as a child, it's where the island healed him, Locke says well, let's hope it's as generous this time around, they arrive at The Temple, Sun asks what is it, Ben says it's the wall around their Temple, Ben says about a half mile from here, they built this wall to keep people like the two of them from ever seeing it, Ben goes to go inside, Locke says they're not going into their Temple, they're going under it, Ben is surprised, Locke says after you, Ben tells Sun that he needs to ask a favor of her, says if she can ever get off this island, to find Desmond Hume for him, tell him he said he was sorry, Sun asks sorry for what, Ben says he'll know, goes into The Temple. From Lostpedia
38. "May I ask you a question, John?" Ben "Shoot." Locke "How is it that you know where you're going?" Ben "I just know." Locke "I mean, how does that work, exactly?" Ben "How does what work?" Locke "The knowing. I mean, did it come upon you gradually, or did you wake up one morning suddenly understanding the mysteries of the universe?" Ben "You don't like this, do you?" Locke "What?" Ben "Having to ask questions that you don't know the answers to, blindly following someone in the hopes that they'll lead you to whatever it is you're looking for." Locke "No, John, I don't like it at all." Ben "Well, now you know what it was like to be me." Locke
39. "I think I know where we're going now, John. It's the same place they brought me as a child. It's where the Island healed me. About a half mile from here. We built this wall to keep people like the two of you from ever seeing it." Ben
40. "I need to ask a favor of you, sun. If you can ever get off this Island, find Desmond Hume for me. Tell him I said I was sorry." Ben
41. Ben at the Long Beach Marina, he walks down the dock, sees Penny on Our Mutual Friend, takes his gun out, but Desmond is unloading groceries form the car behind Ben, and sees him, he says hey what are you doing here, Ben turns around, and shoots him, Desmond, Penny calls, Ben points his gun at her, he says don't move, not another word, he says hello Penelope, my name is Benjamin Linus, that he's sorry she's caught up in this, but her father, Penny says that her father and her have absolutely no relationship whatsoever, Ben says your father is a really terrible human being, and that he's responsible for the killing of his daughter, that's why he's there, little Charlie calls mommy, Penny yells for him to go back inside, she begs Ben, says please, whatever you do, don't hurt my son, Charlie comes out, Penny yells for Charlie to go inside, Ben sees little Charlie, and begins to lower his gun, but Desmond runs up from behind and tackles him, beats the crap out of him, throws him in the water, Ben is a bloody mess.
    From Lostpedia
42. "Your father is a really terrible human being. He's responsible for the killing of my daughter. That's why I'm here." Ben
43. On the beach, Frank Lapidus returns to The Hydra island, a man runs up to him on the beach, says Captain Lapidus, you're back, thank God, he tells Frank that they found guns, Frank what are you talking about, who found guns, the man says Ilana and three of the others, they said they were in charge now, Frank says where are they, man looks over there, Frank approaches them, Ilana points a gun at him, Frank asks what's going on, Ilana asks Frank what lies in the shadow of the statue, Frank asks what, Bram says to answer the question, she asks again, Frank is confused, he says he has no idea, Ilana cocks him with her rifle, tells Bram to get everyone else, tell them it's time, and tie him up, he's coming with us. From Lostpedia
44. "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" Ilana
45. Locke lights torches inside The Temple, Ben takes one, they walk through, which looks like ancient ruins, Ben says you know you were right, Locke asks about what, Ben says why he needs to judged, he says that when Charles Widmore's men came, they gave him a choice, to leave with them or let his daughter die, all he had to do was walk out of the house and go with them, but he didn't do it, so he was right, John, he did kill Alex, and now he has to answer for that, Ben says that he appreciates him showing the way, but he thinks he can take it from here, Locke says you got it, Ben walks, says he'll meet him outside, if he lives, but Ben falls down a hole, Locke asks Ben, are you alright, Ben says never better, Locke says to hang on, that he'll go find something to get him out of there, Ben says John wait, but he leaves. From Lostpedia
46. "You know, you were right." Ben "About what?" Locke "Why I need to be judged. When Charles Widmore's men came, they gave me a choice. Either leave the Island or let my daughter die. All I had to do was walk out of the house and go with them. But I didn't do it. So you were right. John, I did kill Alex. And now I have to answer for that. I appreciate you showing me the way, but I think I can take it from here." Ben
47. Ben walks around an ancient ruin, inside the room, with hieroglyphs on the walls, pillars covered in hieroglyphs, he studies them, a hieroglyph of the statue is on the wall. From Lostpedia
48. Ben notices a Cerebus vent, his torch goes out, he hears the Smoke Monster sound, it begins to come out of the vents, gathers around Ben, he sees his life flash before him, he sees himself talking to Charles Widmore about Rousseau and Alex, didn't tell him she had a child, what was he supposed to do, Widmore says to kill it, Ben says that it's not an it, this is a child, he sees himself pushing Alex on swing, Alex says I hate you, I hate your guts, I wish you were dead, Alex pleading for her life, she says these people, you said they were dangerous, more dangerous than you, dad, they're serious, they killed Karl, and my mother, please dad, she cries, help me, Ben says she's not my daughter, she means nothing to me, so if you want to kill her, go ahead, Keamy shoots her, Ben cries, Smokey goes back into the vents. From Lostpedia
49. Ben's torch goes back on, he hears someone say daddy, Alex appears, she says hi dad, Ben says oh Alex, I'm so so sorry, it was all his fault, Alex smiles, says she knows, but she chokes Ben, pushes him against a pillar, she says listen to me you bastard, I know that you're already planning to kill John again, and I want you to know that if you so much as touch him, I will hunt you down and destroy you, she says you will listen to every word John Locke says and you will follow his every order, do you understand, Ben nods, he says say it, say you'll follow him, Ben says yes I will, I'll follow him I swear, Alex pushes him, Ben is terrified, but she disappears, Ben grabs his torch, Locke calls him from the hole above, throws a vine down the hole, Ben comes over, Locke asks what happened, Ben says that it let him live.
    
    
    
    From Lostpedia
50. "Ohh, Alex. I'm so, so sorry. It was all my fault." Ben "I know. Listen to me, you bastard! I know that you're already planning to kill John again, and I want you to know that if you so much as touch him, I will hunt you down and destroy you. You will listen to every word John Locke says, and you will follow his every order. Do you understand? [Ben nods, fear-stricken.] Say it! Say you'll follow him." Alex "Yes, I will. I'll follow him. I swear." Ben
51. "What happened?" Locke "It let me live." Ben

4.09 The Shape of Things to Come

1. Jack doesn't feel well, has a stomach bug, Kate wonders why they aren't back from the boat yet, Jack says Sayid said the engine is down, he's trying to fix it, that's he's probably wondering why they can't get in touch.
2. Vincent barking, Bernie calls for help, they find the body of doctor washed ashore, Daniel and Charlotte recognize him, Dr. Ray from the Freighter, his throat is slit.From Lostpedia
   
3. "We're all gonna die." Hurley
   
4. Locke, Hurley, Sawyer are playing risk, babysitting Aaron, Hurley says that Australia is the key to the game.
5. "I can't believe you're just giving him Australia. Australia's the key to the whole game." Hurley
   From Lostpedia
6. Keamy is holding Alex captive, he tells her to turn the sonic fence off, she asks him to spare Aaron's life, the code she uses on the fence is 1623.
7. The phone rings while Locke, Sawyer, Hurley and Aaron are at Ben's house playing Risk, the phone broadcasts code 14J, Locke leaves and tells Ben, he gets a shotgun out of the piano bench, says they have to get to other house for better positioning, they're here he says.
8. Ben flashes to the desert, wakes up, he's wearing a DHARMA parka, says Halliwax on the nameplate, he breathes out cold air, he's in the Sahara Desert, he vomits, he has a gash on his arm, Arabs arrive on horseback, one of the men starts to frisk him, Ben whips out his death beating-stick, flips the tables, kills the other dude with his friend's gun, destroys both of them instantly.From Lostpedia
9. Ben says that the code 14J is an early warning system, one of their people has been captured, they tripped panic switch at the security fence, they had a five minute debate about it before they went and got him, Ben sent Rousseau, Karl and Alex away yesterday and he says they're safe, Sawyer wants to grab Claire form the other house, Locke wants to go with him, but Ben says it's important that John survives what's about to happen, to stay close to him, people coming won't risk hurting him, that he's the best chance to live.
10. Daniel is examining the Doctor, Jack says his throat is slit, wants to know if he knows anything about it, Dan says he was fine the last he saw him, says when is a relative term, Jack says about fixing the satellite phone, but Dan says it could only be used for beeps and boops, Bernie says telegraph.
11. Ben says he's scared of the people that are coming, they cover the doors with bookshelves and furniture, Hurley takes care of Aaron, wonders how Sawyer is going to get back in the house.
12. Sawyer is on his way to Claire's house, talks to a random log carrying guy, asks about Claire, all of a sudden, the log carrier is shot mid-sentence, then there's a rocket explosion on Claire's house, then more gunshots, log carriers die, but Sawyer escapes without a scratch.From Lostpedia
13. Ben arrives at a Hotel in Tunisia, asks for a room, says it's not his first time in Tunisia, he's a preferred guest, Dean Moriarty, he asks woman at the desk the date, which is October 24, 2005, he sees Sayid Jarrah on the television, they mention the Oceanic 6, he says he wants to bury his wife in peace.
14. Aaron is crying, Locke asks why he has to survive this, Ben says there's only one person that can save them and that's Jacob, that he and Locke have to go to Jacob together, Locke says he doesn't know where the cabin is, but Ben says that Hurley knows where. 
15. Sawyers saves Claire from the rubble of her former house, she's disoriented and asks for Charlie, Sawyer tries to take her back to the house, but the door is barricaded, Hurley tries to move stuff, but then throws an ottoman through the window and tells Sawyer and Claire to come through, the door bell rings, Miles arrives with walkie, says they let him go and want to talk.
16. In Tikrit, Iraq, Sayid is at Nadia's funeral, Ben pulls out a camera and watches a bald man drinking coffee, Sayid is carrying the casket, looks up and finds Ben, tracks him down, Ben says he's there to find the man who murdered wife, that he took Desmond's boat to get off the island, The Elizabeth, he followed a heading to Fiji, says Charles Widmore tried to convince the world that his plane was on the bottom of the ocean, Sayid asks what that has to do with him and Nadia, Ben says there was a man there, named Ishmael Baker, and that he's one of Widmore's men, five days ago in Los Angeles, a photograph was taken by a traffic light camera, on the corner of La Brea and Santa Monica, three blocks from where Nadia was killed, Sayid asks why they would want to murder her.From Lostpedia
17. Miles says there's six of them, told him they were security, to escort Ben back to mainland, Miles says to take the walkie, that they have a hostage, Ben says his people are prepared to die, but Miles says it's his daughter.
18. Keamy answers the walkie talkie, tells him his name and that he's an employee of Charles Widmore.Martin Keamy, employee of Charles Widmore, says he wants to talk face to face, to look at him, states his terms, to put his hands on his head and walk straight to him, once in custody, no one else will be harmed.
19. Ben says his name is Martin Christopher Keamy, former First Sargent of the United States Marines Corps, served with distinction from 1996-2001, since worked with Mercenary Organizations, specifically in Uganda, knows exactly who he is, so dispense with the formalities.
20. Keamy calls out for Alex to be brought to him, he tells Ben to come out or he'll kill her, Ben says he wants to present a counter proposal, for he and his friends to leave and go back to helicopter, to forget they were ever on the island. 
21. Keamy tells Alex to say goodbye, she talks to Ben, says he killed Karl and her mother, begs him, Ben says it's under control, that she's not his daughter, that he stole her as a baby from an insane woman, that she means nothing to him, she's a pawn, says he's not coming out of the house, to go ahead and do it, and Keamy kills Alex execution style, Ben is completely shocked, because Keamy called his bluff.From Lostpedia
22. Alex is dead and Keamy has disappeared, Ben says that he changed the rules, Sawyer says that they should just toss him out, but Locke says he doesn't think they'll let them walk out alive no matter what they do.
    
23. Ben takes off, pulls back his bookshelf, flicks a switch and escapes into his secret room, where a door comes down behind him, before Sawyer can catch him, he pulls back his rack of suits to reveal an ancient stone wall with markings, hieroglyphs, Ben pushes the heavy door open.From Lostpedia
24. Ben watches and sips tea in a café, he then follows Ishmael Bakir, but gets caught, tells him his name is Benjamin Linus, and that he wants him to deliver a message to Charles Widmore, Says kill him, but keeps shooting even after the gun no longer has any bullets left, Ben says they're finished, Sayid says he has no life, they took it from him, that he spent the last 8 years searching for the woman he loved, he married her and he buried her yesterday, he wants to know who's next, Ben says he'll be in touch.
25. "I spent the last eight years of my life searching for the woman I love. I finally found her and I married her. And I buried her yesterday. So don't tell me this is not my war. Benjamin... Who's next?" SayidFrom Lostpedia
26. Hurley and Claire come out of the bedroom with Aaron.
27. "You all right, sweetheart?" Sawyer "Yeah, a bit wobbly, but, uh, I'll live." Claire "Well, I wouldn't be too sure about that." Miles
28. Ben comes out of the hidden room, he's covered in dirt, he tells everyone to run from house when he says, and to head straight for the treeline, the house begins to shake, the smoke monster comes, they leave the house, the smoke monster comes out and it attacks the men, summoned, Ben says goodbye to Alex.
29. "Did you just call that thing?" HurleyFrom Lostpedia
30. Daniel Faraday gets signal from the satellite phone and sends Morse Code, asks what happened to the doctor, says reply is that their friends are fine and the helicopter is coming back in the morning, Bernard says he's lying, that they didn't know what he was talking about and said that the doctor is fine, Jack asks why he said the helicopter was coming back, that they were never going to take them off the island, Dan says no, Jack is sick, collapses in pain.
31. Sawyer, Claire, Aaron and Miles are heading back to the beach, Locke threatens Sawyer, Hurley stays because Locke and Ben need him to find the cabin with them.
32. London, England, Ben arrives at a Penthouse, says he's there to see Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick in 4E, but it's really Charles Widmore's apartment, Ben enters a dark room, tells him to wake up, Widmore says he wondered when he would show up, Ben asks when he started sleeping with a bottle of Scotch (MacCutcheon) by the bed, Widmore replies that he did when the nightmares started, asks if Ben has come to kill him, but Ben says they both know he can't kill him, that he's there because Widmore murdered his daughter, Widmore says that Ben did it, not to blame him, everything that he has, he took from him, Ben says he's going to kill his daughter, he'll understand how he feels and he'll wish he hadn't changed the rules, Widmore says he'll never find her, that the island is his, that it always was and it will be again, but Ben says he'll never find it, Widmore says that the hunt is on for both of them. 
33. "You creep into my bedroom in the dead of night, like a rat, and have the audacity to pretend that you're the victim? I know who you are, boy. What you are. I know that everything you have you took from me." Widmore "I'm here, Charles, to tell you that I'm going to kill your daughter. Penelope, is it? And once she's gone, once she's dead, then you'll understand how I feel. And you'll wish you hadn't changed the rules." BenFrom Lostpedia

Questions:

1. How does the doctor's body arrive at the Island before he is killed on the Freighter?
   
2. What is the time difference between the Freighter and the Island?
   
3. Is the Risk game a clue? Is Australia really the key to everything?
4. Why is Sawyer impervious to bullets?
5. Did Claire die in the house explosion?
6. Did Ishmael Bakir really kill Nadia? Is he really working for Charles Widmore?
   
7. What is the significance of the hieroglyphs in Ben's hidden room?
   
8. Did one of the polar bears turn the frozen donkey wheel?
9. What are the rules in which Ben is referring to? How has Widmore broken them?
10. Why does Miles say "I wouldn't be too cure about that." when referring to Claire living?
11. Why can the Smoke Monster be summoned from beneath Ben's house?
    
12. Why can't Ben kill Charles Widmore?
13. What is the true connection between Ben and Widmore?
    

Favorites:

1. "No. My gut says we're getting off this island." Jack "I thought your gut was sick." Kate
2. "We're all gonna die." Hurley "Calm down, Chicken Little. The sky ain't falling just yet." Sawyer "This is exactly what he wants--to fight amongst ourselves. You're making a big mistake, dude." Hurley "It's his to make, Hugo. (To Sawyer) Let's get on with it." Locke "Right. ...I'm attackin' Siberia." Sawyer
3. "Surrender! Surrender!" Arab Man "Oh, so you do speak English." Ben
4. "Let me guess. "14-J" ain't the code for the pizza boy." Sawyer 
5. "When? "When" is kind of a relative term." Daniel 
6. "What's going on?" Doug
7. The whole scene where the log carriers die and Sawyer escapes without a scratch.
8. "I think the technical term is "shock and awe"." Ben 
9. "Charlie?" Claire
10. "Those people were murdered to make you angry, James. So you'd be more likely to come storming in here and throw me to the wolves." Ben "[Sawyer grabs Ben] Yeah, what's wrong with that? Sounds like a great plan to me. (To Locke) What do you say, on three?" Sawyer 
11. "(Sing-song) I wouldn't if I were you." Ben 
12. "How did you get here?" Sayid "I came across the Syrian border. It's really not as difficult as you might--" Ben "How did you get off the island?" Sayid 
13. "Well, Miles, sounds like you're not gonna collect your $3.2 million." Ben
14. "(Whispers to Locke) Who's Charles Widmore?" Sawyer "Later." Locke 
15. When Sayid keeps shooting the gun, even after it's out of bullets. Sayid is badass. 
16. "Hang on. "Jacob"? Who the hell's Jacob?" Sawyer
17. "(To Locke) You harm so much as one hair on his curly head... I'll kill you." Sawyer "Fair enough." Locke
18. The entire scene with Benjamin Linus and Charles Widmore.

Notes:

1. Ben shows up in Tunisia, which is the same place that Charlotte found the polar bear bones during her flashback in Confirmed Dead.
2. The painting seen in Charles Widmore's bedroom is the same one seen at the auction in The Constant.
3. The scene with Ben and Charles Widmore is very symbolic. Ben is seen in the dark, and Widmore is seen in the light. This is yet another representation of black and white, and could perhaps be a clue, especially if you've seen the end of Season 6.
4. I remember how mind-bending this episode was when it first aired. You could not believe that they actually killed Alex right in front of Ben, and that he just stood there and let her die. I remember feeling complete and utter shock in that moment.
5. The scene where Sawyer is going to get Claire and all the random log carrying guys die is hilarious.
6. This episode shows a lot of guts. My favorite episodes are when the writers take risks and don't assume that I'm too stupid to understand what's going on. I love when they stay complicated and don't spoon-feed me details. Give me the benefit of the doubt.
7. When Ben arrives in the Sahara Desert and the Arab men on horseback find him, they have a conversation. One notes that there is no trail, the other man wonders where he came from, and asks if he fell from the sky.
   
8. Finally, Claire mentions Charlie. What took you so long?
9. I like how Sawyer is taking charge in this episode and that he's worried about Claire.
10. Ben's flashforward takes place on October 24, 2005, which is one year, one month and two days after the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.
11. According to Wikipedia: On October 24,1593 a man named Gil Pérez, who was a Spanish Solider serving the Filipino Guardia Civil, suddenly appeared in the Plaza Mayor in Mexico City.
12. Any woman that hooks up with Sayid must have a death wish. Every woman he loves dies. Poor Sayid. No wonder why he has to kill people. He's just making it even.
13. The scene were Alex dies is so sad. The last thing she hears before she dies is that she means nothing to the man she thought was her father, and this is after having to go through the death of her mother who she just met after 16 years and her boyfriend dying right in front of her. That scene is just heart-wrenchingly painful to watch.
14. The Smoke Monster scene is friggin' awesome. Except for the fact that no one really dies from it.
    
15. From Lostpedia: The symbols on Ben's secret room door appear to be hieroglyphs that are determinative signs in Egyptian, a basic translation of these hieroglyphs is "to summon protection."  
16. If you go to If the Earth Were A Sandwich you can see that Tunisia is on the opposite side of the world from the South Pacific, where the Island is, which could be why Ben transports to the Sahara Desert, in theory.
17. The final scene with Ben and Widmore is one of the two scenes in LOST history that hasn't been shot in Hawaii. It was shot in England to accommodate Alan Dale.
    
18. In a deleted scene for this episode, Ben is seen in the Sahara Desert after he kills the men and steals their horse, retrieving money hidden under a rock. When he arrives, he looks around to see if anyone is there, and another Ben is seen in the background laying in the sand, much like when Ben was transported there. The shot can be seen at the 0:25-0:27 mark.

4.08 Meet Kevin Johnson

1. Locke's camp has a meeting, Locke says there will be no more secrets, he brings Miles in, and Miles they're there for Ben, Sawyer wants to turn Ben over to them, but Locke says no, Ben says that once they have him, they'll kill everyone else on the island, that Michael is the man on the boat, everyone is shocked at this news.
2. On the freighter, Desmond and Sayid are asleep, an alarm goes off, they wake and go to the deck, the Captain says no one leaves the ship without his say so, he's beating two of his crew members for trying to leave and go to the island, he calls Michael to clean up.
3. Sayid approaches Michael, questions why Michael is on the boat, says he's there to die.
4. Sawyer approaches Locke after the meeting, who is bringing Miles back to the boathouse, he questions the $3.2 million Miles asked Ben for, but Locke says he doesn't think he'll be able to get it since there isn't a bank on the island, Miles says he'll find a way to get it.
5. Ben gives Alex a map to The Temple, he says it's a sanctuary, that it may be the last safe place on the island, Karl asks why don't they know about it, Ben says that he doesn't tell everyone about it, that the rest of their people are already there, that they can get there in a day and a half, Karl says they all should go, but Ben says it's only for them, people are there to capture him, that they will use Alex to get to him, Rousseau agrees, Ben says they're more dangerous than him, tells Alex that her mother will protect her, they leave. From Lostpedia
6. In the morning, Sayid and Desmond find out that Michael is in the engine room, they go there, Michael is fixing the engine, asks Jeff to go get a pressure valve from the supply room, when he leaves, Sayid attacks Michael, wants to know how he's on the boat, Michael said he wouldn't understand, so Sayid says to start from the beginning. From Lostpedia
7. Michael is in his apartment in New York, he's writing a letter, he looks at a photograph of him and Walt, he takes the note and leaves, gets in his car, Mama Cass plays on the radio, he pins the note to his coat, drives away. From Lostpedia
8. Michael says he's sorry, he drives full-speed into a dumpster, the radio continues to play, there are sirens in the background, coming toward him.
9. He wakes up in the hospital, a nurse comes in, he asks how he got there, she says he was in a car accident, that it's a miracle he's alive, there is whispering, the nurse is Libby with blankets, Michael wakes up from a dream. From Lostpedia
10. The real nurse comes in, there is a Christmas tree in the hallway, she says he's lucky to be alive, that he wrecked his car, there was a note was pinned to his chest, she asks him if he wants her to call Walt, that's who the note was written to, he says no.
11. Michael goes to see Walt at his mother's house, but his mom says no, that Walt doesn't want to talk to him, that she thought he was dead, questions why they have different names, that Walt wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, they said their plane crashed in the middle of the ocean, wants to know why she can't tell anyone about him and Walt, that they were gone 2 months, that until he explains, he gave up his rights, Michael asks her to tell Walt that he loves him.
12. Michael leaves, Walt watches by at the window. From Lostpedia
13. Michael pawns the watch that Jin gave him for a gun and bullets, goes into an alley to kill himself, he's about to pull the trigger, but Tom Friendly shows up.
14. Michael attacks him, Tom is going to shoot him, so Michael says do it, but Tom says they sent him there, kept tabs on him, realizes that he told Walt what he did, that he couldn't carry the guilt, says that he can't kill himself, that the island won't let him, that he has more work to do, tells him that when he comes to terms with that, he's staying in the Pent House, at Hotel Earl. From Lostpedia
15. Michael goes back to his apartment, he tries to kill himself, but nothing happens, the gun is loaded, but no bullets come out, the gun jams.
16. Michael has the television on in the background, a Game-Show Host asks a Literature questions referring to the book, Slaughterhouse Five, and the contestant answers Kurt Vonnegut, but then the news interrupts the program, Michael hears that Oceanic Flight 815 was found, the wreckage, they say that there's little chance of retrieving the black box.
17. Michael goes to the hotel to meet Tom, who is now gay Friendly.
18. Tom says he doesn't make it to the mainland too often, Michael wants to know why the plane is at the bottom of the Ocean, Tom says it's not his plane, that it's a phony, that Charles Widmore staged the wreckage, doesn't want anyone else to find where the real plane is except him.
19. Tom asks Michael if the bullet bounced or the gun jammed, Michael says to prove it.
20. Tom shows Michael a photograph of a cemetery in Thailand where the bodies were dug up, a purchase Order for a 777, bought through a shell company, shipping logs for a freighter to drop the whole mess down a trench too deep enough to guarantee no remains would be identified.
21. Michael wants to know what he wants, Tom says in a few days, a freighter, porting Fiji, that it's Widmore's, that they have reason to believe he's finally found the coordinates to the island, that he's heading for it, Michael has a job on the boat, shows him a fake ID, says meet Kevin Johnson, that he's joining the crew as a deckhand, going undercover, that if Widmore finds the island, everyone dies, that Michael can redeem himself for what he did, to give his life, but Michael says he can't go back to the island, Tom says that he's not going back, that he's going so he can kill everyone on board the freighter that's heading for it. From Lostpedia
22. Michael arrives in Fiji, gets to the freighter, he meets George Minkowski, who says that check in is with Naomi Dorrit, she tells him he had a crate delivered, he then meets Miles, who says his name isn't Kevin, that 80% of the people on the boat are lying about something, offers him an orange. From Lostpedia
23. Michael gets a phone call, Tom says to wait a day or two until they're out in the open sea, asks if he's getting cold feet, but Michael says he's in, Tom tells him to ditch the phone, do the job.
24. Frank and Naomi argue about the chopper.
25. Frank talks to Michael about Oceanic Flight 815, asks what if he said the plane that was found int the trench wasn't the real 815, Michael asks why he signed up for the trip, Frank says that Widmore believes him, asks to imagine if they found people alive. From Lostpedia
26. Keamy shooting, Michael says he thought they were on a rescue mission.
27. Michael opens the crate he received, there's a case inside, with a bomb in it, he brings it in to the Engine room, executes the code, Libby appears, she says don't do it, but he pushes the button anyway, counting down from fifteen seconds, a note comes out that says "NOT YET." From Lostpedia
28. Michael gets a phone call on the freighter, says it's Walt, but it's not, it's Ben.
29. Ben says that he will not kill innocent people, Michael asks about Ana Lucia and Libby, Ben says he killed them, that no one told him to do it, he tells Michael to compile a list of names, every person on the boat, give him the list, to disable communications and to take out the engine, that the boat will never get to island, that his friends will be safe, Ben says that Michael is one of the good guys. From Lostpedia
30. Michael finishes telling Sayid his story, that he's working for Benjamin Linus but Sayid isn't satisfied and brings him to Captain Gault, tells the Captain his story.
31. "This man is not who you think he is. He was a passenger on Oceanic Flight 8-1-5. I spent two months with him on the Island before he betrayed us. This is the man who sabotaged your radio room. He destroyed the ship's engine, and his name isn't Kevin Johnson. It's Michael Dawson, and he's a traitor." Sayid
32. Rousseau, Alex and Karl are going to The Temple, they stop to drink and rest. From Lostpedia
33. Gun shots fire towards them, Karl's water bottle is shot, and then while starring at it, he gets shot, he dies.
34. Alex is in shock, Rousseau tells her that they have to go, that she's going to count to three and they're going to run, but as soon as they run, Rousseau gets shot and dies.
35. Alex surrenders, says she's Ben's daughter so they stop shooting. From Lostpedia

Questions:

1. Why does Miles think it will be so easy for Ben to get $3.2 million?
2. What is The Temple? Why is it only for the Others?
3. Why does Ben think it would be the only safe place on the island?
4. How did Tom get off the island?
5. When in the timeline did Tom visit Michael? When was he gone?
6. Was Libby a hallucination or the smoke monster?
7. What stopped the gun from firing and Michael committing suicide? Was it the island? Was it Jacob?
8. Why in the hell did Michael tell Walt what he did on the island? How do you tell a ten year old kid that you killed two women?
   
9. Who was watching Michael after he left the island?
10. Why won't the island let Michael kill himself?
11. How did Miles know that Michael's name wasn't really Kevin?
12. Does Michael tell Sayid and Desmond the part about Tom Friendly being gay?
    

Favorites:

1. "We're here for him. (Ben)" Miles "Um, we kind of, like, knew that forever ago." Hurley
2. "I'm sorry. You mean the same guy that killed two women in cold blood to set this little bastard free? And then sold all of us out so he could get off the Island? That Michael?" Sawyer
3. "Yeah. Miles offered his loyalty in exchange for the money. But as I haven't seen a bank on the island, I didn't think it worth mentioning." Locke
4. "He wants to survive. And considering a week ago you had a gun to his head, and tonight he's eating pound cake, I'd say he's a guy who gets what he wants." Miles
5. "It's a cold night. I brought you some extra blankets." Libby
6. "Excuse me, sir. You got the time?" Tom
   
7. "Manhattan, huh? We let you leave one island, and you just go to another one." Tom
8. "Is this the guy who hit you with the champagne bottle?" Arturo "Yeah, but I had it comin'." Tom
9.  "Did the bullet bounce off your skull, or did the gun just jam on you?" Tom 
10. "You know those nuts that think the moon landing was faked?" Frank
11. "What, are you going Nicholson on us? You know, Jack Nicholson in The Shining, when he's bouncing that ball against the wall? Next thing you know, you're gonna go after your wife with an axe." Minkowski "I'm not married, man." Kevin 
12. "You put me on this boat, talked me into blowing it up, and when I push the damn button, a flag pops up." Michael "You actually activated the bomb?" Ben "It's not a bomb! It's a... (catches himself) It's a joke." Michael 
13. When Karl dies. That was the most hilarious death ever. Karl wonders why his water bottle was shot.

Notes:

1. So, Mr. Friendly is gay. I guess that's why Kate isn't his type, as he said in A Tale of Two Cities.
2. Michael's mother notes that he was missing for over two months, which tells us that time on the island and off the island are the same. It had been speculated for a long time that time on the island may lapse differently than the island world, but this is one of the many conformations that it hasn't.
3. Michael David Kelly claimed in an interview that it in fact was him that appeared in this episode, but obviously was digitally altered.
4. It made me kind of sad that Michael pawned the watch that Jin gave him. Jin attacked Michael for having the watch in House of the Rising Sun, but they built the raft together and quickly became friends, so Jin gave it to Michael. It was a symbol of how much they grew and their time on the island, and Michael goes and hocks it. Bastard!
5. I like how Tom has all the funny lines in this episode.
6. Michael knew Naomi was from Manchester because of Charlie.
7. When Michael sees Libby on the freighter, she is wearing the same clothing that she died in.
8. From Lostpedia: "Kevin Johnson" and "Dean Moriarty," from The Economist, share the same passport number: HNSO12153. The passport number: HNSO12153 references Hanso (HNSO) and two of the Numbers 4 and 8 (1+2+1=4 and 5+3=8).
9. Karl saying "I've got a bad feeling about this" is yet another Star Wars reference.