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"Dead Is Dead" is the twelfth episode of Season 5 of Lost and the ninety-eighth produced hour of the series as a whole. It was originally broadcast on April 8, 2009.
Synopsis
Flashbacks
Charles Widmore talks to Ben
Charles Widmore arrives at the Others camp on horseback. After a short exchange with Richard Alpert, he enters a tent in which young Ben, still recovering from his gunshot wound from Sayid, is staying. Widmore tells Ben that they will send him back to live with the DHARMA Initiative soon, but assures Ben that he can still be one of the Others.
Several years later, Ben and a young Ethan stand outside a camp, watching a tent. Ethan attempts to convince Ben to let him take charge, but Ben tells Ethan to be quiet and enters the camp alone. Inside the tent is a sleeping Danielle Rousseau. Ben lifts his gun to kill her, but her baby awakens and begins crying, and Ben knocks over Rousseau's music box.
Widmore commands Ben to kill Alex
Rousseau questions Ben about why he is there. Ben takes the baby in his arms, firing a shot into the sand and telling Rousseau to stay where she was. He then leaves the tent and the beach with the baby and Ethan.
Upon his return to camp, he is angrily confronted by an aging Charles Widmore, who demands to know why Ben is holding the baby. Ben maintains that he was not aware of a baby, and that he is unwilling to kill it. Charles demands that Ben do so, but Ben refuses, instead offering the baby to Charles and telling him to do it instead. Scoffing, Charles turns his back and leaves Ben holding the baby.
A few years later, Ben is pushing Alex on a swingset when he is approached by Richard. Richard informs Ben that the submarine is about to leave, but that Ben doesn't have to go. Ben feels he needs to, however, and goes to the dock, where he sees a handcuffed Widmore being led into the submarine. Ben speaks to Widmore, and Widmore scornfully tells Ben that he will have to one day choose between his daughter and the Island. He is then put into the submarine and exiled.
Several years later, during his time spent off the Island, Ben is walking along a marina and calls Charles Widmore, informing him that he is going to kill Widmore's daughter, Penny, who is also at the dock. As he approaches to do so, he is met by an arriving Desmond, carrying groceries. When he asks Ben what he is doing there, Ben shoots him, though only hitting the grocery bag. Desmond falls to the ground, unconscious. Ben then continues on to the boat, where he holds Penny at gunpoint. Though Penny maintains that she has no relationship with her father, Ben prepares to shoot her until he sees Penny and Desmond's son, Charlie. Ben then lowers his gun, but is tackled and severely beaten by Desmond, who throws him off the dock and into the water.
On the Island
Ben drinks some Ajira water
Ben awakens to find Locke sitting over him. Ben exhibits surprise that Locke is alive, but tells Locke that he expected his resurrection. Ben then travels out to the beach, where several survivors, including Bram and Ilana, are trying to open a crate filled with what they call necessary supplies. Ben speaks to Caesar about Locke, telling him that he doesn't believe that Locke was on the plane. Ben feigns ignorance when Caesar informs him that Locke believes that Ben killed him, saying that Locke is crazy. Caesar tells Ben that he "has his back," and shows him the rifle he had taken from Ben's office earlier. Ben then picks up an Ajira Airways bottle of water and takes a drink.
Ben and Locke soon travel to the outriggers, intending to take one of them to the main Island. Suddenly, Caesar and two other survivors appear, and confront the two. Caesar asserts his leadership, and forbids the two to use the outriggers to go anywhere. Locke refuses to listen, and Caesar attempts to draw his rifle, but it isn't there. Ben reveals that he has it, and shoots Caesar in the chest. He then tells the two remaining survivors to go away. He and Locke then set sail for the main Island.
Upon arrival, they rest for a moment at the dock, and Locke tells Ben that he believes Ben is only seeking forgiveness for the death of Alex. Ben does not confirm or deny this. They travel on to the Barracks, where they see a silhouetted shadow pacing in the window of Alex's old room. Upon investigation, Ben finds that it is only Sun. Frank is also in the house, and they tell Ben that Christian Shephard told them to wait there for John Locke, who they discover is standing just outside.
The four speak for a moment, and then Locke reminds Ben of the reason they are there. Ben then retreats to a secret room hidden in his closet, where he drains a pool of muddy water in an attempt to summon the monster. He then goes outside to wait with Sun, and reveals to her that he had no idea that Locke would be resurrected; he had never seen the Island perform such a miracle. Frank leaves to return to the Hydra island after failing to convince Sun to come with him.
The monster fails to arrive, and Locke tells Ben that they need to go to the monster. Ben claims that he does not know where the monster lives, but Locke tells him that he does. Ben and Sun follow Locke to the Temple walls. Locke then reveals that they are going to be entering through a hole in the earth. They do so, though Sun remains outside.
Once underground, Locke and Ben light torches. Ben tells Locke that he believes that Locke's reasoning was right, and that he is only seeking penance for Alex's death. Soon afterwards, the ground underneath Ben gives way and he falls into another level of the Temple. Locke tells Ben that he will go get something to help Ben back up, and leaves, ignoring Ben's commands not to.
Ben then journeys on, looking at columns covered in hieroglyphics. Upon pausing to observe a mural covered in Egyptian drawings, he hears the trademark noises of the monster, and witnesses it rise out of a grate in front of him. The monster surrounds Ben, swirling about him. He is faced with memories of Alex and Widmore, including Alex's death at the hands of Martin Keamy. After showing these images to Ben, the monster abates, reappearing moments later in the form of Alex. Ben attempts to apologize to Alex, but she pins him up against a nearby column and makes him promise to follow Locke's leadership. Ben promises, and Alex disappears.
Trivia
General
- Ben's house was in the same state it was in the last time he was inside, when the mercenaries attacked -- including the Risk game Sawyer and Hurley were playing.
Production notes
Bloopers and continuity errors
- Danielle has a brief conversation with Ben; in "Solitary" Danielle claimed she had never seen any of the Others.
- Also, the pillar of black smoke which Danielle claimed to have preceded Alex's kidnapping was not shown.
Recurring themes
Storyline analysis
Cultural references
- Hieroglyphs: inside the temple, a lot of Egyptian hieroglyphs are seen, being the representation of Anubis with the monster the most important and highlight one.
- Our Mutual Friend. Desmond and Penny name their sailboat after the literary work. (Literary works)
Literary techniques
- Frank is captured by Ilana and Bram; his fate is left unknown. (Cliffhanger)
- Ben is reminded of his orders to kill Danielle (and his inability to do so because of her child) when he sees Charlie Hume come out of Our Mutual Friend. (Juxtaposition)
Episode references
- Inside the monster, a quote from Alex is heard questioning her father about the mercenary team. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
- When Ben enters his house the risk board game is seen still lying on the table when Hurley and Sawyer were playing three years earlier. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- Ben once again summons the monster. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- Ben steals Alex from a woman he believed to be insane, just as he claimed. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- Inside the monster, Ben sees an image of Alex and Keamy. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- Charles Widmore is shown being exiled. ("The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham")
- Ben remembers being healed within the Temple. ("Whatever Happened, Happened")
- Ben tells Penny he needs to kill her because her father killed Alex. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- The Monster proceeds to judge a character based on his sins. ("The Cost of Living")
- Ben uses the same argument with Caesar against John Locke that Sayid used against him when Ben got caught by the Losties. ("One of Them")
- Ben tells Rousseau that if she hears the Whispers she should turn around and run the other way. ("Solitary")
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Dead Is Dead/Theories
- Where did Locke go when he left the Barracks?
- What is the Monster's relation to the Temple?
- Why does the Monster demand that Ben follow John Locke?
- How does Locke know where the Monster is?
- Is Ben telling the truth in regards to his understanding of resurrection on the Island?
- What is the answer to Ilana's question about what is under the shadow of the statue?
- Where did Ilana's question come from?
- Why did the monster deem Ben worthy but killed Mr. Eko?
External links
- ABC Medianet Press Release (3/23/09): [1]
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