More on Michael's Deal
1. Why Hurley? If you need Jack it makes sense to bring Kate because she would go looking for him in the first place. It makes sense to bring Sawyer because she would talk Sawyer into coming with her or he'd follow her later. But why Hurley? Because he's easily scared? Why not Sayid? Isn't he just as likely as Kate to form a rescue party? I guess Locke and Eko aren't on the list because the Island is distracting them with the issue of the Swan.
2. Who came up with this plan to free Ben? Did one of the remaining Others talk to Jacob? If Ethan could infiltrate the camp, why couldn't they send someone in to get Ben, not that freeing him from the Swan would have been easy?
3. This has nothing to do with the deal, but it's bothering me. If you're Ben and you need Jack to do surgery on you, why do you spend half a week lying to him about your identity and then another three days antagonizing him with your hunger strike and silence not to mention attack on Ana Lucia? I think it would have taken longer than 2 weeks to get Jack to want to operate on Ben.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
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7 comments:
1. It was definitely an elaborate con with lots of uncontrollable factors. Asking him to bring Hurley reminds me of the Wizard of Oz asking Dorothy to bring the witch's broom. He asked her to do it because he thought it was an impossible task. He never expected to see her again so he wouldn't have to grant her wish. Likewise, convincing Hurley to cross the island on a Ben-hunt would have been near impossible if Michael hadn't shot Libby in the process. Ben had hoped that Michael would be forced to bring them all but Hurley, then he'd have what he wanted but wouldn't have to give up Walt. Maybe?
2. I don't think Klugh came up with the plan. I think she just modified the plan Ben had already given her for getting hold of Jack. If he was willing to do anything, why not add a task to his checklist?
3. It's maddening, isn't it? I think Ben must be a little like Sawyer in that he thinks he's a much better con man than he actually is.
I sort of think Hurley is the witch's broomstick too, but if Michael couldn't convince him to come with his all "I'm the dad; I get to decide" craziness, then everyone loses, right? Maybe Michael would have figured out later to do something with Libby to get Hurley along, but who knows. He seemed a one-trick pony at that point and an impatient one at that.
Re #3: Ditto on the maddening! It makes no sense in the real world. Don't antagonize someone you would like to help you out! Of course, that would ruin the whole storyline of the show if Ben just asked nicely from the beginning. There must be something we don't know yet.
1. I think they picked Hurley because everyone trusts him, so the people back at the beach would believe everything he said. Plus, he's easily scared, and if the beach folk saw how afraid Hurley was, it would probably doubly impress upon them that the Others do not want them venturing far on the island. Kate and Sawyer were only taken because of the love triangle business; Jack's feelings for Kate is one of his main weaknesses, and abducting the love triangle is really just Ben's sick way of manipulating Jack. (Plus, as a side benefit, if Kate got pregnant from either Jack or Sawyer, that would be a boon to the Others' research). I don't know if Jacob actually sanctioned this behavior; in fact, I'm suspecting Ben is operating on his own with this one. After all, Jacob ain't healing Ben, so Ben has to either have surgery or die.
2. It actually seems likely that Klugh or Tom came up with this way to get Ben back. They already had Michael for the purpose of convincing Jack, Kate and Sawyer to follow him, so why not just kill two birds with one stone and tell Michael he also has to free Ben. Again, I seriously doubt Jacob had anything to do with this plan. Besides, the Others had no clue Michael would kill Ana Lucia or Libby. Michael ****ed that whole thing up royally. Ben did not count on this deal being made with Michael, nor did he expect or condone Michael's behavior. So this whole part was totally out of Ben's hands, I think.
3. In "Man From Tallahassee," Ben tells Locke how desperately he wanted to ask Locke about his paralysis while he was in the Swan. I think the same thing applies to Jack. Ben could not reveal his real identity. No matter what his situation, saying "Hey, I'm the de facto leader of the group of people who've abducted and killed your friends and terrorized you for the last two months. Sorry about that stuff. My bad. You see, I need a favor . . ." There's just no way that would work. I think Ben played his mindgames both to protect himself as well as understand better just what the 815ers have been up to. By the time he attacked Ana Lucia, he knew the clock was ticking on his life, not from his cancer but from the threat of the crash survivors. He was probably genuinely surprised when he was finally set free.
And of course, some of this is just from the fact that the writers weren't 100% certain that Henry Gale would be the leader of the Others. They said that they knew the Others were gonna kidnap Jack to make him perform surgery on their leader, but as to whether that was Henry depended upon how well the character played onscreen. Stuff like that is just an unavoidable process of TV writing. I think it comes together better than, say, the mythology of THE X FILES, which though fascinating and cool is filled with contradictions, retconning, omissions, repetition and unintentional confusion.
Great thoughts everyone! :-)
I agree great thoughts. I always enjoy reading what you all have to say. :)
Yes...the Hurley being the broomstick makes perfect and complete sense.
Here's a whacked out theory..
What if Libby was from the people that are coming to the island on the upcoming season. If she wouldn't have been shot she would have been in direct contact with the Others. Which also makes me wonder...was Libby just innocently coming with a pillow and putting it on the couch...or um...was she going to get a good look at Ben...or had she already been talking with him? This all seems "Crazy Good" =]
CF
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