Benjamin Linus

Benjamin Linusa.k.a Henry Gale
Actor	Michael Emerson
ImageSize	248px
First	"One of Them"
Last	N/A
Benjamin Linus
AKA	Henry Gale, Ben
Age	Mid 40s
Place	U.S.
Profession	Former DHARMA Work Man Acting leader of the Others
Status	Alive
Images	Images of Benjamin Linus

Benjamin "Ben" Linus, who once falsely took the name "Henry Gale" (later found to be another man by that name), appears to be the leader of The Others.

His true first name was revealed in "A Tale of Two Cities", and his true last name in "The Glass Ballerina". He continues to play a leadership role among the Others, sending a scout party after Jin, Sun and Sayid when they dock Desmond's boat at the Pala Ferry dock. However Juliet has said he's not the ultimate authority among the Others. This is in part a reference to the theoretical political system of the others and possibly also a reference to Jacob.

Off the Island

Ben Linus was born on December 22, early in his mother's third trimester. Roger and Emily Linus were hiking in a forest 32 miles outside Portland when she went into early labor. The birth went badly for Emily, and Roger carried her out to a roadway, flagging down Horace and Olivia, a couple passing by, for help. Benjamin lived, but Emily died. Judging by the "high light" Volkswagen Karmann Ghia driven by Horace and the 1965 Dodge Dart 2-door sedan which passed just previously, Ben was born in the late 1960s. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

On the Island

Before the crash

With the DHARMA Initiative

File:YoungBen2.jpg

Ben, just after arriving on the Island

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Young Ben came to the island with Roger, who had gotten a job thanks to Horace, a mathematician with the DHARMA Initiative. Roger is very unhappy to find out he is only a workman on the island, but Ben meets a beautiful little girl named Annie.

During a class on vulcanology taught by Olivia, in which the dormant volcano on the Island is mentioned, an attack on the Initiative begins. Ben is stunned by the sudden outbreak of violence, but Olivia and the other children seem more used to it. Annie first chains the door and then brings Ben over to where the other children have assumed their positions. That night, Ben overhears Roger yelling at Horace about the attack. Ben is then startled to see the figure of Emily outside his window. Later, Ben goes to the fence where he sees Emily again. She tell him that it is not yet time for him to come, and walks back into the jungle.

Later on, Annie gives Ben a gift for his birthday. A male doll and an female doll, made by Annie. She takes the male doll, leaving him the female, and says that now they will never be far from each other. That night, Ben returns to Roger's quarters. He has drunk himself to sleep. Ben starts to take off his father's shoe, wakening him. Roger sees Annie's gift box, and starts rambling about Ben having killed his mother on his birthday. Ben watches his father in tears while the man settles back and wishes him a Happy Birthday.

Some time after this, Young Ben packs his belongings (along with his doll of Annie). He goes to the fence and disarms it, and searches through the jungle, looking for his mother. He meets Richard Alpert, who asks him if he's lost. Ben tells him that he's looking for his mother, even though she's dead. Richard is amazed, but not surprised, to hear this.

Years later, Ben zips up his own DHARMA Initiative workman suit. He accompanies Roger on a Pearl supply run, and when Ben reminds him that it is his birthday, Roger suggests they take the van and go have a beer together. They stop at a beautiful overlook, where Ben confronts Roger about blaming him for his mother's death. Ben checks his watch, then straps on a gas mask and opens a gas bomb in the van. Roger is overwhelmed instantly and dies a horrible death. Ben returns to the compound, where the Others have done the same thing to everyone in the Initiative in what became known as the Purge.

Among the Others

Ben lives on the Island and is in a leadership role with the Others. Alex has been raised by Ben as his daughter. Ben has told Alex that her mother is dead, but nothing more is known about their relationship. Alex is somewhat estranged from Ben, but it is difficult to tell if it is anything more than a teenage rebellion against a parent.

Roughly three years before the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, Ben brought Juliet to the island to help solve the Others' fertility problems. When she proved unsuccessful and asked to be sent home, Ben convinced her to stay by claiming that her sister's cancer had returned and that Jacob would heal it if she agreed to stay.

Two days before the crash, he was diagnosed by Juliet with a tumor on his spine. This proved to be an exceptionally shocking revelation for Ben, as he seemed to believe that it was impossible for a person to get cancer on the island, and it led Juliet to accuse him of lying about curing her sister. ("One of Us")

After the crash

At the time of the crash, Ben immediately jumped in to action, summoning Goodwin and Ethan. He ordered them to go to where the tail section and mid-section landed respectively to act as spies: "Listen, learn, don't get involved." He told them he wants "lists in three days." As the two men rushed off and the crowd began to disperse, Ben saw Juliet clutching a book to her chest and says, "I guess I'm out of the book club." (A Tale Of Two Cities)

Immediately after this, he traveled to The Flame with Juliet to learn what Mikhail had discovered about the plane, and instructed Mikhail to assemble detailed files on all the passengers. He and Mikhail then showed Juliet what he claimed was a live video feed of her sister and nephew. ("One of Us")

Before being captured

On November 9, 2004 Ben and Juliet went to the Pearl. They observed Jack at the Swan and Ben outlined his plans. Ben commented that he would get Jack to perform surgery on him the same way he gets anyone to do anything for him: using what a person is emotionally attached to against them. Ben also outlines his plan to use Michael to eventually capture Jack, Sawyer and Kate. They then leave, leaving behind a walkie talkie that Paulo brings back to camp with him. ("Exposé")

Ben's plan begins to be put into effect the same day. Michael, at the Swan receives his first message supposedly from Walt. He receives another message the following day and is captured in the jungle on November 12.

As a prisoner

Ben tells Sayid his fake backstory

Ben sets out for the survivors camp. He was captured by Danielle Rousseau in a net trap ("One of Them"), and was handed over to Sayid on November 18, 2004. Danielle shot him with a crossbow during an escape attempt, after which he was kept prisoner in the armory of the Hatch. Danielle said that he would lie a long time before he told the truth and handed him over to Sayid presumably to be tortured.

As a prisoner, he claimed to be Henry Gale, a wealthy miner from Minnesota who crashed on the Island with his wife, Jennifer, in a hot air balloon. Sayid and Locke did not believe his claims, although Jack was more open-minded to the possibility that he was innocent. "Henry" further claimed his wife died of a mysterious sickness, a story he maintained even during a brutal interrogation by Sayid. The three men decided not to disclose the captive's existence to the rest of the group, though Sayid decided to tell Charlie about Ben's presence, and Eko and Ana-Lucia later discovered him as well. Eko, who seemed to believe that Ben was one of the Others, confessed privately to Ben that he killed two of the Others during his first night on the Island and that he was very sorry for what he had done. He punctuated this by cutting two outgrowths off his beard with a large knife.

To bolster his story, he drew a map from the Swan to the location of his balloon and wife Jennifer's grave. Sayid, Ana-Lucia, and Charlie followed the map and found the site exactly as described, but Sayid was still skeptical. Sayid then exhumed the corpse and discovered not a woman, but a man identified by his driver's license as Henry Gale.

Ben refuses to give information to Sayid regarding the Others

During this trek, the lockdown incident occurred in the Hatch, and Locke, whose legs were pinned under a blast door, was forced to enlist Henry's assistance to push the button. Locke did not witness what happened as the lockdown ended. Shortly thereafter, the search party returned and revealed that the man they knew as "Henry" was an impostor and an Other; the real Henry Gale was dead and buried. Soon, Sayid almost executed Ben, but was stopped by Ana-Lucia.

After further questioning, Ben revealed that he knows Tom, but stated: "Him? He's no one! Nothing!" assumed in comparison to "Him", the true leader of the Others. In further protest to his captivity, Ben refused to eat, drink or speak for two days.

Ben tells Ana Lucia about Goodwin's mistake

He also mentioned that the Others would never trade Walt in exchange for him.

Ben could hear events in the Swan outside his prison in the gun vault, and was therefore aware of Jack and Locke's arguments. Based on this knowledge, he attempted to manipulate Locke into feuding with Jack by telling him that he appears to be in Jack's shadow. Locke indeed became angry enough to take out his rage on objects in the Hatch, foreshadowing future manipulations of his behavior toward Jack. Henry additionally helped John when the lockdown incident occurred, and further caused Locke to question his beliefs when he claimed he did not push the button. Later, Ben almost strangled Ana Lucia, while accusing her of killing two good people and telling her that Goodwin had tried to convince the others that she was worthy presumably of being on the list. He also strongly implied that Goodwin would never have tried to kill Ana Lucia. His attempt to strangle Ana Lucia was thwarted by Locke. But Locke later neglected to tell Jack about this incident. He eventually revealed this information, but only when it seemed too late, after Ana-Lucia has gone to murder Ben.

However, Michael murdered Ana-Lucia and Libby, then released Ben. Ben's escape appeared to leave no tracks.

Back among the Others

Ben and Michael at the Pala Ferry pier

Ben seemed to be the leader of the Others because he appeared to be directing the Walt exchange at the Pala Ferry pier. He mildly reprimanded Tom for not wearing his beard. He also mentioned that Michael's trade was "more than we bargained for", perhaps implying that it wouldn't be too disappointing for them to lose Walt and the The Others' boat to Michael in the trade, or that Walt was somehow too much to handle. When asked by Michael "Who are you?" He replied, "We're the good guys," continuing the previous use of the word "good" by various members of the Others. Finally he claimed that Michael would never find the Island again, even if he tried, echoing his claim as a prisoner in the Hatch that even God could not see the Island. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")

He claimed he was sent by the Others to find and bring back Locke because Locke was "one of the good ones". He said that he would be killed by the mysterious Him, for failing this mission.

Benjamin Linus' full name was revealed in two parts; his forename in "A Tale of Two Cities" (by Juliet) and his surname in "The Glass Ballerina" (he told Jack). Thus far, he appears to be the leader of the Others; all ideas and operations appear to go through him (such as the capture of the Elizabeth) and everyone seems to answer to him. It also seems that he is above Juliet in the Others' hierarchy, despite her claims to the contrary.

On Hydra Island

Ben at breakfast with Kate

Having captured Jack, Kate, and Sawyer, the Others escorted them to the location where the Hydra station was situated. There, Ben told Kate to shower and gave her a dress to wear, following that up with nice, civilized breakfast-- in handcuffs. He said the reason for this was that he wanted her to "feel like a lady" and to have "something to look back on" in the coming weeks, which would be extremely "unpleasant." ("A Tale of Two Cities")

Ben (while wearing glasses) watched the activities of Kate, Sawyer and Jack on some monitors in the Hydra. He knew exactly what was going on and was making sure that everything went according to his plan. As he was monitoring these feeds, Juliet entered the room, soup in hand; Ben quips, "You never made soup for me." Colleen entered and told Ben that Sayid found the decoy village and had a sailboat, at which point Ben ordered Colleen, in no uncertain terms, to recover the boat and bring it back.

Ben prepares to turn on the TV.

Later that day, Ben visited Jack in his cell and sat on a chair next to him. He commented on the irony of the situation, as less than a week ago, Ben was a captive and Jack was the captor; now the roles have been reversed. He introduced himself as Benjamin Linus and then revealed that he has been on the Island his entire life. He told Jack that if he co-operates, when the time comes he'll take him home, to which Jack was skeptical. Ben then revealed that the Others are in contact with the outside world, and proceeded to detail real-life events that have happened during their time on the Island, such as Christopher Reeve's death and the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series. Jack did not believe him, so Ben showed him a video of the winning game. He finished by saying, "That's home, Jack. Right there, on the other side of that glass. And if you listen to me--if you trust me--if you do what I tell you, when the time comes, I'll take you there. I will take you home." ("The Glass Ballerina")

Ben's depth of control became even more evident when he interrupted Juliet's conversation with Jack, ordering her to come and assist him. Despite Juliet telling Jack that the two of them "make decisions together", it appeared that this is not the case, much as was the case with Jack and Locke in Season 2.

Ben with the bunny.

When Sawyer was planning on escaping once more from his cage, another side to Ben's character emerges: an aggressive side. Sawyer's escape plan involved moving the water pipe leading to the trough to connect the electricity from the warning button to the water (which went past the cell) in order to electrocute himself and whichever Other would be standing in the puddle he created. It was Ben who was moving closer to the puddle, but as Sawyer attempted his plan, it failed--Ben had turned off the electricity. Ben asked Sawyer how old he is and his weight, and then proceeded to jump into the cage and beat him with a baton to the point of unconsciousness.

Ben watched in one of the Hydra's rooms as Matthew stuck a needle into Sawyer's chest. When Sawyer regained consciousness, Ben showed him a caged rabbit bearing the number 8 on its back. Ben proceeded to shake the cage violently. This frightened the rabbit, which quickly went limp. Ben told Sawyer that the rabbit had a pacemaker inside it, and now Sawyer does, too. If his heart rate goes above 125bpm, it will begin to beep. If it goes over 140bpm, his heart will explode. Ben then declared that the same fate will befall Kate if Sawyer reveals what The Others put in him. ("Every Man for Himself")

Ben makes the shocking revelation

Meanwhile, Jack saw X-rays on a wall in the Hydra belonging to a man of about 40 years old with a spinal tumor.

The next morning, Ben took Sawyer for a walk up a steep path. They exchange mild banter, and then Sawyer's heart monitor began to beep due to the exercise. Sawyer asks if Ben brought him up here just to kill him. Ben then revealed that there was no pacemaker at all. He told Sawyer that the rabbit was only given a sedative and wasn't actually killed, because the Others aren't "killers." Ben said he did all this because the only way to earn the respect of a con man was to con him.

Finally, Ben and Sawyer reached the top of the mountain. Ben revealed the fact that the island they're on isn't the Island that the plane crashed on; they're on a separate island. Thus, he shows Sawyer, that even if he escapes there's nowhere to run. ("Every Man for Himself")

Ben at Colleen's funeral

That night, Ben took Jack to Colleen's funeral. He was dressed in a white smock shirt, as were all of the Others, in what was seemed to simulate a traditional Viking funeral. Jack asked about the symptoms of Ben's tumor, referring to the X-rays he had seen earlier. Ben pretended that he didn't know what Jack meant, and Jack dropped the issue. At the funeral, Ben asked Juliet why she'd told Jack about the x-rays, to which she replied, "I didn't tell him they were yours. But I guess you did," implying that Ben had just confirmed Jack's guesswork.

Surgery

As Juliet fed Jack breakfast, Ben burst in and demanded to talk to Jack. When Juliet pressed him, he said they needed to be alone because of "doctor-patient confidentiality." Once alone, Ben tells Jack that he had a great plan to "break" him, wearing him down so that he'd do whatever he was told, whenever. However, he says, that plan got "shot to sunshine" when Jack saw the x-rays and figured out that Ben was dying. When Jack asked if Ben wanted him to save his life, Ben replied, "No, I want you to want to save my life." Then he asked Jack whether he is religious; Jack turns the question back on him. Ben replies, "Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky. And if that's not proof of God, I don't know what is." ("The Cost of Living")

Ben on the operating table.

When Ben realized that he needed surgery within the week, he asked Jack about the prospect of doing the surgery. At first, Jack seemed willing, checking that they had the necessary equipment. But then Jack said that this behavior was all a ploy to get back at Ben for the way he had been treated. Ben reacted unemotionally to the news that his tumor will become inoperable within a week though clearly he was inwardly shaken. When Jack refused to do the surgery, Ben told Jack he was disappointed, to which Jack replied that at least Ben won't have to be disappointed for very long.

Soon after, after Jack explored the observation room in the Hydra and saw Kate and Sawyer after they'd had sex, Ben walked in on him. Baiting him, Ben says, "If I were a betting man, I would have picked her and you." He knew that the sight of seeing Sawyer and Kate together would make Jack want to get off of the Island; Jack, now angry, agreed to do the surgery.

All seemed to go well for the first leg of the ensuing operation, but then suddenly, Jack purposefully made a slit in Ben's kidney sac. Jack told Juliet and Tom that Ben will die within the hour if the damage is not repaired. Now Ben is technically Jack's hostage. Jack said that they must let Kate go, or else Ben will die.

Later, Ben awakened while still on the operating table and seemed to understand his situation as a hostage, even conceding that Jack outplayed him. Apparently, he also heard Jack tell Tom that Juliet had wanted Jack to "make a mistake" in surgery so that Ben would die. He then asked for a private conversation with Juliet, after which she leaves the operating room and announced that the Others had to let Kate and Sawyer leave if Jack will save Ben's life. Jack then puts Ben back under anesthesia and completes the surgery. After nicking an artery and enlisting Tom's help in Juliet's absence, Jack successfully removes the tumor but suggests testing it for malignancy. ("Not in Portland")

Ben makes a deal with Jack, while Alex watches.

Shortly after his surgery, Ben developed an infection around his stitches. Jack initially refused to help Ben any further, but later agreed to treat him in exchange for him commuting Juliet's death sentence, which she had received for killing Pickett. Ben agreed to this, but ordered that Juliet be marked instead. Along with Jack, he then accompanied the rest of the Others to their "home" on the main island, realizing that their location on Hydra Island was no longer secret following the escape of Kate and Sawyer. ("Stranger in a Strange Land")

Back on the Island

Ben and Jack's changed relationship.

Ben was next encountered about a week later, at the barracks. He was still debilitated, and was confined to a wheelchair. He is thankful to Locke for blowing up the submarine so that he would not have to let Jack and Juliet go. He also promises to reveal the secrets of the island to Locke, and he starts with showing him that the Others have Locke's father, Anthony Cooper in captivity. ("The Man from Tallahassee")

Ben accompanied the Others as they vacated the Barracks, but not before sending Juliet on an undercover mssion to infiltrate the beach community. He tells her that he'll see her again in one week. ("One of Us")

When the Others desert the Barracks he brings Locke along. After they reach the Ruins he talks to Locke, demonstrating that he can now walk with a cane and tells him that it is due to his presence. He also tells Locke that to fulfill his potential he must kill his father. That night he tries to get Locke to do just that. The next morning, after Locke fails the test he tells him that they are leaving but that Locke can't come with them. He also says they will leave a trail but that unless Locke has his father's dead body not to try following. ("The Brig")

Two days later, Ben finds that his tape recorder is missing and starts to panic. This panic is quickly replaced by shock that Locke actually killed his own father. Ben then tells Locke of Jacob and Locke demands that he take him to Jacob. When Ben refuses by saying that he's the only person who has ever seen Jacob, Locke accuses him of lying to him. Locke forces Ben into a corner when he tells all of the Others that Ben is going to take him to see Jacob. Ben reluctantly takes Locke, after a confrontation between Locke and Mikhail. Alex gives Locke a gun since he is going to see Jacob. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

That evening they make it to Jacob's house and he tells them to put all of their technology away saying that Jacob hates technology more than Locke does. When they enter Jacob's house, Ben begins to talk to an empty chair which Ben perceives to be Jacob. Locke begins to think that Ben is insane, but when he begins to walk out, Locke turns around and asks what Ben just said to him. Ben said he said nothing, and Locke then proceeds to pull out his flashlight, and it sends Jacob into a rage, forcing both Ben and Locke out of his house. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

The next day Ben leads him back a different way. He tells locke that he has been lying to him the entire time. He proceeds to show him a pit filled with many bodies of DHARMA workers and explains that he wasn't born on the island, but that he was brought there by his father who was working for the DHARMA Initiative. Ben told Locke that DHARMA came their peacefully, but when they discovered that they couldn't live peacefully with the natives, they began to purge the island of the Initiative. He said he did what he had to do and said that he was smarter than all of them and even Locke. He then shoots Locke and tells him he shot him because he heard Jacob. He then asks Locke what did Jacob say to Locke and Locke said that he said "help me". Ben left Locke there to die saying that he better hope that Jacob will help him. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")

Trivia

• "The Man Behind the Curtain" starts on the 91st day of being on the Island, December 22nd, which is Ben's birthday.
• As Ben is born, a road sign reading “Portland 32,” can be seen in the background. It is generally assumed that this refers to Portland, Oregon. However based on the facts that the weather was suitable for his parents to be hiking and Horace Goodspeed to be driving a convertible, the weather does not seem to fit the location of either Portland, Oregon or Portland, Maine.
• There is a good chance that the year of Ben's birth was 1963, since the cars used for the opening scene of "The Man Behind the Curtain" were specifically supposed to be "1963 and older". [1]
• His falsification of names has earned him the nickname Benry among some fans.
• He says that he hates needles, although he may have said this as part of the process of psyching out Sawyer. ("Every Man for Himself")
• Ben says, "Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky." Oceanic flight 815 crashed on September 22, 2004, so that means he discovered the tumor on September 20.
  • Juliet told him about his tumor one day before the crash.
• Ben's tumor was on his L4 vertabre.
• When given a copy of The Brothers Karamazov from Locke, Ben asks, You don't have any Stephen King?" in "Maternity Leave". Later, in Season 3 flashbacks, Ben displays a dislike in one of King's novels, Carrie.

Name references

• Henry Gale: Wizard of Oz
  • His pseudonym and supposed way of coming to the Island refers to the children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. "Henry Gale" is Dorothy's Uncle Henry, while the hot air balloon refers to the Wizard himself, who landed on Oz (and subsequently left it) on a hot air balloon. This analogy could be taken one step further by assuming that "Henry", like the Wizard, was the "man behind the curtain", i.e. the real leader of the Others, while previously we were led to believe that Tom, or to a greater degree Alvar Hanso, was in charge. Interestingly enough, Ben Linus was also the keeper of the submarine, the only way off the island. In Ozma of Oz, the third book in Baum's Oz series, Henry Gale is ordered by his doctor to take a vacation to Australia. He and his niece Dorothy depart on a steamship and, during a storm, Dorothy is blown overboard with one of her uncle's hens. She and the hen are washed ashore to a place that Dorothy guesses is some sort of "fairy country", as Oz has no seashores.
  • Ben's mother died while giving birth to him just like the biblical Benjamin. Both were named by their dying mothers.
  • This is the only confirmed name reference given for this character (as discussed by the producers at Comic Con).

See the theories section for more possible name references (to Benjamin's real name), which are unconfirmed.

Additional casting

• Sterling Beaumon played the role of Young Ben in "The Man Behind the Curtain."

Unanswered questions

Unanswered questions
Do not answer the questions here. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer. More details...

For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Benjamin Linus/Theories

• Why does he look calm when Oceanic 815 crashes, and the discharge occurs?
  • Presumably because he knew the Swan caused it.
• What is his status in the Others' leadership hierarchy?
• Where was he going when he was captured by Rousseau, and why?
• Does he know that Alex is Rousseau's daughter?
• What bait did Ben fall for?
• If the island heals people, how did Ben get his tumor and why does he not heal quickly after the operation?
• Why didn't Jacob heal his cancer?
• Was Ben's tumor cancerous or benign?
• Why did he personally come for Locke when he could have sent somebody else? Was he really coming for Locke?
• Why is he feeling threatened by Locke's presence?
• Why did the wound on his shoulder from Rousseau in Season 2 take so long to heal?
• Why is he the only one who can see Jacob?
• How did he become the leader of the Others?
• Why does he look very angry when he finds out what Jacob told Locke?