What They Died For

What They Died For
Season	6
Episode number	16
Airdate(s)	May 18, 2010
Flash-sideways	Jack Desmond Ben Sawyer
Writer	Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz & Elizabeth Sarnoff
Director	Paul Edwards
Guests	Alan Dale as Charles Widmore Kenton Duty as Jacob (age 13) Mira Furlan as Danielle Rousseau Sheila Kelley as Zoe Dylan Minnette as David Shephard Mark Pellegrino as Jacob Tania Raymonde as Alex Rousseau Michelle Rodriguez as Ana Lucia Cortez
Co-stars	Wendy Pearson as Nurse Kondracki Ashlee Kyker as student Ernesto Lopez as LAPD cop
Transcript	What They Died For transcript

"What They Died For" is the 16th episode in Season 6 of Lost and the 119th produced hour of the series as a whole. It was originally broadcast on May 18, 2010.

Synopsis

Flash-sideways timeline (2004)

Jack wakes in his apartment. He finds that the injury to the left side of his neck that he first noticed on the flight back from Sydney is bleeding. As he cleans it David tells him that he has made breakfast. David checks that Jack is coming to the concert that evening and tells Jack that his mom is coming as well. David tells Jack not to get all weird because of his mom being there. Claire joins them as Jack receives a call telling him that the airline has found the missing cargo, Jack takes it that he means his Father's coffin. In a car Desmond finishes the conversation with Jack.

Locke arrives back at his school and is welcomed by a student. He is being watched by Desmond. As Desmond starts his car Ben jumps in front of the car and calls out for someone to call the police. Desmond goes to Ben and greets him with a punch to the face. As he is held down on the bonnet Ben says he won't let Desmond hurt Locke again. Calmly Desmond tells him that he is not there to hurt him but to help him let go. Ben asks who he is and Desmond replies by saying "Do you want to know who I am" and then beating Ben viciously. As he does Ben has a flash of Desmond beating him("Dead Is Dead"). Desmond leaves with Ben in confusion on the ground.

A nurse is treating Ben for his injuries. He looks at himself in a mirror as Locke wheels in ans asks after him. Ben says he was in a fight with the man who ran Mr Locke down. He tells him that the strangest thing happened while he was being beaten, that he "saw" something. Locke uses his phone to call the police but Ben suggests against it. He tells him that the man was trying to get Locke to let go, not to hurt him and that for some reason Ben believed him.

Original timeline (2007)

Jack is preparing to stitch Kate's shoulder wound. Kate is pale and very upset. As Jack stitches she reflects on Ji Yeon, that Jin hadn't even met her and with gritted teeth that Locke did this to them and that they have to kill him. Jack says "I know". A little later Sawyer and Hurley watch as the sea washes up detritus from the destroyed sub. Kate leans on Sawyers shoulder as a deep sadness consumes them. Jack says it is time to go. He says that they need to find Desmond who Sayid said was in a well. He adds that if Locke wants him then "we are going to need him."

Miles asks Ben whether they are going the right way. Ben says he lived in the houses for a long time. Miles says he lived here thirty years before Ben ("otherwise known as last week") and he is lost. Richard asks if Ben has enough explosives, and Ben confirms he has enough to destroy the plane "ten times over." He says that the C4 is in his secret room behind his bookcase. They arrive at the Barracks and Miles senses something. He won't share it but Richard explains that it is Ben's daughter who he buried near the picket fence. Ben thanks him.

Inside Ben's house Ben accesses his safe. He says that the secret door was where he learnt he could summon the Monster until he realized that it was actually summoning him. Richard tells Ben that they want to blow the plane to hell so they take all six packs of C4. They hear a noise and find Zoe in the kitchen. As Ben asks who she is Widmore appears and says that she is with him. As Ben points his rifle at Widmore, he sends Zoe to the dock to get their equipment and then sink the outrigger. When Ben prevents her from leaving Widmore explains that if Ben shoots him Ben's last chance of survival will be gone. Zoe leaves. Widmore asks Richard what they are up to, and when (to Ben's dismay) he explains Widmore says he's had the plane rigged with explosives since he arrived and is, "as usual", three steps ahead of Ben. Ben asks Widmore how he got to the Island. Widmore explains that he saw Jacob after Ben destroyed the Freighter and he was convinced him all he needed to know for "this exact purpose". Before he can explain the "purpose" Zoe radios that Locke has arrived. Widmore orders her to run back and tells Ben, Miles and Richard that if they don't want to die then they need to hide.

Production notes

• Jeff Fahey (Frank), Daniel Dae Kim (Jin), Yunjin Kim (Sun) and Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana) do not appear in this episode.
  • Emilie de Ravin (Claire) only appears in the flash-sideways timeline.
• Michelle Rodriguez (Ana Lucia) appears in this episode, her first appearance since "The Lie", an absence of 31 episodes.
• Kenton Duty and Mark Pellegrino both appear as Jacob in the present.
• Kim Kondracki appears for the first time after being mentioned in "Dr. Linus". She is played by Wendy Pearson, who previously played a doctor in "The Variable".
• This episode marks the first time Ben has had more than one centric episode in a season..

Analysis

Recurring themes

• Ben betrays Widmore to the Man in Black. (Deceptions and Cons)
• Zoe is killed by the Man in Black, while Ben shoots and kills Widmore (Life and death)
• The opening shot begins with a closeup of Jack's eye. (Eyes)
• The Man in Black offers Ben the job of leader of the island, yet he later reveals to Ben that he intends to destroy the island. (Deceptions and Cons) (Leadership)

Literary techniques

• Jacob was killed by being thrust into a fire.("The Incident, Part 2") He was then temporarily brought back to life by placing his ashes in a fire.(Juxtaposition)

Episode references

Episode Connections

• Ben, Richard, and Miles pass over Alex's grave. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
• Jacob says, "Now you're like me." ("Across the Sea")
• Jacob tells the remaining candidates about the mistake he made when he created the Smoke Monster. ("Across the Sea")
• Ben confronts Desmond about running over Locke, and has a vision of getting beaten up by Desmond on the dock. ("Everybody Loves Hugo") ("Dead Is Dead")
• Jacob tells Jack the Source is located behind the bamboo grove that Jack ended up in immediately after the crash. ("Pilot, Part 1")
• The Man in Black repeats his offer of letting Ben run the Island when he leaves. ("Dr. Linus")
• Widmore tells Ben that he wired the plane to explode when he first arrived on the Island. ("The Candidate")
• The Man in Black threatens to kill Widmore's daughter, Penelope, unless he reveals his plans for Desmond. Ben kills Widmore in an attempt to prevent him from fulfilling the bargain, stating that he, "doesn't get to save his daughter." ("The Shape of Things to Come")
• Sawyer feels guilty for the deaths on the submarine. ("The Candidate")

Episode Allusions

• The Man in Black threatens to kill Penny. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
• Jack stitches up Kate. ("Pilot, Part 1")
• Danielle tells Ben that he's having dinner with them, "even if we have to kidnap you." ("One of Them")("Dead Is Dead")

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: What They Died For/Theories

Original timeline

• Who helped Desmond out of the well?
• How does the Man in Black intend to "destroy the Island"?

Flash-sideways timeline

• Why is Ana Lucia considered "not ready yet" by Desmond?
• Where is Hurley going with Sayid?
• Why are Kate and Desmond going to the concert?

External links

• ABC Medianet schedule
• ABC Press Release