Ben's secret room was an ancient chamber in Ben's house at the Barracks. It was accessed through a false wall in a hidden closet. Its door and walls were covered with hieroglyphs, and the Monster could be alerted by draining a pool of water inside.
Description[]
The secret closet that provided access to the room could be found behind a bookcase. Inside, a wall panel behind a rack of clothing concealed a much older door covered in hieroglyphs. Beyond this door was a small tunnel that led to a pool of stagnant, brown water. The Monster could be summoned by pulling a plug at the bottom of the pool, allowing the water to escape through a drain.
When Keamy and his mercenaries attacked the Barracks, Ben disappeared into the secret room, later emerging covered in dirt. His activities inside were not shown at this time. Shortly afterward, the Monster appeared and attacked Keamy and the mercenaries. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
The inside of Ben's secret room
Several years later, Ben returned to the Island and went to his house to summon the Monster so he could be "judged". He again went into the chamber, and its contents were finally shown. After draining the pool of water, he spoke into the drain, saying that he would be waiting outside. However, only The Man in Black (disguised as Locke) came out of the bushes, not the expected cloud of black smoke. ("Dead Is Dead") However, it became apparent at the beginning of season 6 that the action of draining the pool had indeed functioned as it should, as The Man in Black was indeed the monster. ("LA X, Part 1")
Later on, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume, and Ben returned to the closet to recover the C-4 needed to destroy the Ajira plane. Ben later led the Man in Black to the closet where Zoe and Charles Widmore were killed. ("What They Died For")
By 2007, Ben had come to believe that the room was actually a manipulation tactic of the Monster. "It’s where I was told I could summon the monster. That’s before I realized that it was the one summoning me." ("What They Died For")
It is highly likely this room was connected somehow to the Tunnels beneath the Barracks.
Hieroglyphs[]
Hieroglyphs on Ben's door. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
Please Note - All descriptions of symbols and their meanings are best-guess attempts until official confirmation from the producers of LOST.
There are 8 hieroglyphs carved onto the secret door, although there are only 7 in the Season 4 DVD extra "Mysterious Egyptian Influences".
The Signs[]
According to Gardiner's Sign List [1], the symbols are:
| A26 | Man with out-stretched arm | |
| S29 | Folded cloth | |
| M17 | Blooming Reed | |
| N35 | Water | |
| V18 | Amulet | |
| A24 | Man with weapon | |
| W24 | Pot | |
| Aa27 | Unclassified, but looks like a Cross |
Image from Season 4 DVD.
Translation[]
The first line translates as "summon". According to one rough interpretation, they read, "to summon protection". The second line, as indicated, could mean "protection". This interpretation makes sense in the context of the episode.
Unanswered questions[]
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Ben's secret room/Theories
- Who built the door, and when?
- Did the DHARMA Initiative intentionally build a house on top of this older structure, and if so, why?
- Where does the water drain to?
- Where is the Smoke Monster so that he is able "hear" the call?
External links[]
- Dispatches from the Island - Jorge Garcia's blog - May 8, 2008 - entry showing the secret door set
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