"Dead is Dead" - More thoughts

Having had a little time to think about the episode (and listen to a few podcasts on the way to work), here's a few more thoughts on last week's episode.


CAESAR:The more I think about it, the more it seems like Ben shot Caesar because he had to cover his trail. Panicking about Locke's surprise return and the upcoming judgment by the smoke monster, we see Ben try to poison Caesar's thoughts against Locke. But then, Locke demands that Ben go with him to the main island and Caesar interrupts their trek. At this point, Caesar is looking out for Ben. But Ben knows that Caesar might bring up what Ben said earlier about Locke being suspicious. If so, Locke would know that Ben was trying to start a plot to kill him, yet again. So Ben had to shoot Caesar to cover his trail.


NICE SHOES: I noticed Locke lacing up his shoes on the dock this episode, but honestly didn't think much about it, except that it was weird that they chose to show it. A caller on the Jay and Jack podcast pointed out that the shoes actually belonged to Christian Shepard, however, which I had forgotten. Was there something symbolic about Locke taking off his shoes on the journey to the main island, like it was a sign of reverence? Or was this scene just meant to be a subtle reference to how Locke is now taking Christian Shepard's place as the smoke monster's spokesperson? And, to that point:


IS LOCKE THE SMOKE MONSTER? Several fans have pointed out that Locke disappeared right before the smoke monster appeared to Ben, then reappeared right afterward. Is Dead really Dead? And is Locke now really an apparition like Christian? I don't think so, I think Locke is back for reals, but it is an interesting question.

ILANA AND HER CREW: Again, the more I think about what Ilana's crew are up to, the more I think that they're working for Ben. His chat with them on the beach could have just been Ben checking up on their progress, whatever it is they're doing. And, how else would Ilana know where to find Sayid after his argument with Ben after that scene on the docks? How would she know which flight to get on to return to the island? If she is working for Ben, it means that Ben ironically forced Sayid to come back to the island, only to have Sayid shoot his younger self. If she's not working for Ben, I don't think she's working for Widmore, because she could have just killed Ben while he was lying on the cot, unconscious. Maybe she's working for a third faction of the Others. Perhaps one run by the mysterious Economist? From the episode... The Economist?


ONE CRAZY BEN THEORY: So, this episode we got further into Ben's psyche. He spared Alex and Danielle, instead of killing them. He spared Penelope when he learned she was a mother. He's definitely got mother issues. Remember, all his life he's been told by his dad that he killed his mother during childbirth. His dad has openly blamed Ben for his own mother's death. I think that's definitely got something to do with why he spared Penelope and Danielle. And maybe why the Others were into gathering all the children from the Losties. Ben wanted to spare the kids, but kill the adults. So, maybe the Others aren't the ones who are obsessed with kids... it's just Ben. Trying to redeem himself from the guilt he feels for "causing" his mother's death. BUT-here's where my theory gets crazy. Could his traumatic birth experience later cause Ben to go a little psycho/serial killer, and instead of saving mothers and babies he starts somehow secretly killing the mothers right before or during childbirth? I don't know, I'm know FBI Profiler, but it seems like there could be a link. The child birth problem hadn't started yet when Ethan was born. Maybe it started sometime after Ben returned to the camp, all evil and what not? Or sometime after his theft of Alex? Maybe he created the illusion that babies died on the island to tout Alex as a miracle baby, so no one would hurt her (since those loyal to Widmore may have wanted her dead, like Widmore did orginally?) Or maybe he created the problem he was pretending to solve, thereby giving himself a "mission" to rally the Others around? Just a thought. But probably one way too over the top.