Recap: LOST 'Dr. Linus' (S6, E7)

Let's Chat, Shall we?

• Our flash-sideways focuses on Ben Linus — or now known as Dr. Ben Linus, high school history teacher. He has a douche principal (aka Walter Peck from Ghostbusters) and a prize student in none other than Alex.
• Arzt is still an annoying pillock yammering about lab coats and old equipment — he reminds me that person you want to stab in the eye.
• Ben lives with his ailing father. As they eat their frozen dinners they talk about what life might be like had they stayed on that "island" with the Dharma Initiative people.
• John Locke puts ideas into Ben's head (about becoming principal). That can't be good.
• Ben is given the juicy gossip that the principal is having some fun with the school nurse (on school grounds) and decides to use this as blackmail to take over as principal. Good 'ol Ben; still willing to do anything for power.
• The principal counters by stating that if Ben goes through with the threats, that Alex will not get a very kind letter of recommendation for Harvard (or was it Yale or Princeton ... ?)
• Ben decides on helping Alex, more than helping himself (though he does get himself out of detention duty). A man of his word, no longer a man of power.

Meanwhile, back on the island:

• Ben (fleeing the Temple incident) has run into Ilana, Miles and Sun. Ilana doesn't trust Ben; about the whole how Jacob died thing; and asks Miles to touch the ashes (of Jacob) to see how he really died. Oops.
• Ilana decides to make Ben dig his own grave.
• Not-John-Locke makes his appearance to Ben; the tempting fruit, and removes his shackles and promises him the complete control of the island, if he just runs and comes with him.
• Ben runs, Ilanan follows. They have a little stand off, a few tears. Ben shows contrition. Remorse even. He confesses to killing Jacob, because he was so angry, so hurt, so cast off. He says he plans to go with Locke because no one else will have him. In an act of extreme grace, Ilana says "I'll have you" ... and they walk back to the beach.
• Ben is a changed man. Redeemed. Forgiven.
• Jack tells Hurley to take him to the Temple. Hurley sorta kind doesn't want to, know you, because of Jacob saying everyone is dead. But along the way they run into Richard.
• Richard says not to trust a word Jacob says; but I think he just needs a hug.
• Richard also doesn't lead them to the Temple like he promised (oh yeah, well, they're all dead there, sorry) but instead to his very own Black Rock. He looks at the chains and walls; assuming he himself must have been shackled? He begs for Jack to kill him — why? Because he can't die.
• Apparently the touch of Jacob grants eternal life. Richard can't die — or kill himself . With Jacob dead, Richard feels all his following, doing and faith was for nothing. There is nothing to live for, and Jacob's promise to tell him what "it all" was for is gone. So he wants to die. He wants Jack to kill him.
• Jack agrees, gets out some dynamite and lights it. "Let's talk"
• Jack tells Richard that they won't die (as the wick continues to burn) because he saw that lighthouse, and that mirror and the names and this whole time Jacob had been watching him and had brought him to the island. For a purpose.
• Jack is a man of faith. The wick defuses. They don't die.
• Ben is reunited with Sun and Miles on the beach (frankly, they look disappointed he's not dead). Hurley, Jack and Richard come to meet them there (in a scene we've seen many times before). The pan between Jack and Ben is poignant.
• Somewhere off the coast of the island a submarine approaches, with guess who — Charles Widmore (what!?)

Loved it. Two characters completely transform — Jack becomes a man of faith, Ben becomes a man redeemed. Perhaps a team. Perhaps this was the plan all along. We learn that Jacob's touch grants some sort of eternal life (but everywhere, or only on the island?). We learn that Ben was still on the island in alternate world, but left at some point — where one assumes after the island somehow "sunk". Why did they leave? When did they leave? One must assume "the six" that Ilana mentioned (as candidates) are Sun, Jin, Kate, Jack, Hurley, Sawyer (Locke being dead, and Sayid having turned to the dark side). What is Widmore after? Why is he back? For Ben? Does he know about Jacob and Esaus/Not-John-Locke? What his role be?

Good stuff, as fas as I'm concerned, what did you think?