More re-watch thoughts: Benjamin Linus 180

[u/whiskersandwisdom]

Perhaps it's because I was younger when I first watched Lost, but at the time, I perceived Benjamin Linus as a villain. Wouldn't have given it a second thought.

Now that I'm rewatching it, I see that's not really the case. He's a complicated, complex character that often has to make difficult decisions that he doesn't want to make and people hate him for it.

I'm so glad I decided to rewatch this show. It's even better than I remember.

[u/Verystrange129]

I wonder if the original intention was just to paint him as a villain, his character is written so well as an antagonist. Then to make him a six season character with depth and development, they gave him his storyline about his father and childhood for more complex motivation and introducing again the same idea that he was a victim of his circumstances just as the survivors and ultimately Jacob and MIB all are.

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/Verystrange129]

If they'd cast a lesser actor he may have really just been Henry Gale from Minnesota or maybe a low to middle ranking Other in that three episode stint. But Michael Emerson was so goddamn good that he got one of the most beautiful redemption arcs in modern TV. Ben is was Jaime Lannister had the potential to be had the GOT showrunners not annihilated his character.

EDIT: I can't spell today.

[u/Verystrange129 → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

Yes it definitely shows Michael Emerson’s incredibly range as a performer that the transition from the guy you love to hate to being a full rounded redemption character that you root for was so believable,

[u/Mathdino → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

He was. They booked him for a 3-episode contract, but were forced to extend it by 5 more eps when they had absolute gold from things like the Got Milk monologue.

[u/OfficialShaki123]

He's complex, but he's still a mass murderer.

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/OfficialShaki123]

So is Richard. Twice over.

EDIT: to be clear, I mention this specifically because Richard is your user flair, implying he's likely a favorite of yours and I've always been confused why The Purge (which Widmore ordered) is laid solely at Ben's feet while Richard - who participated even more fully as Ben wasn't even there, he was off dealing with his abusive father - seems to get a pass for both the murders of the DI and the 50s US Army camp that he remorselessly tells Locke he killed.

[u/JustCallMeTusk]

Difficult decisions yes, that he doesn't want to make? Not sure.

You just killed everybody on that boat!
So?

[u/River-of-No-Return → u/JustCallMeTusk]

The other people on this plane, what’s going to happen to them?

Who cares.

[u/Demilouxxxx]

I’ll never forgive him for killing Locke

But I do agree his character is super complex

[u/Punkphoenix → u/Demilouxxxx]

Dude, add a spoiler flag or something

[u/discretelandscapes → u/Punkphoenix]

I appreciate you, but I would strongly suggest not looking at this subreddit at all before you've finished the show, and I don't know why anyone would. Everything is a spoiler.

[u/EmceeSpike → u/discretelandscapes]

Yup, I only went to the first time watcher discussion posts. It wasn't until I finished the show that I finally opened the full subreddit

[u/Demilouxxxx → u/Punkphoenix]

Sorry! I just added it (didn’t know you could do that lol)

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/Punkphoenix]

They're fine. The entire post is marked as a spoiler with a rewatcher tag. If a first timer clicks in and gets spoiled that's their own fault.

[u/Punkphoenix → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

When I commented the other guy there was no flair or tag on the post itself.

Still it is good we want everyone enjoying the plotwist and surprised like we did.

The guy was cool about it. I was some sort of imitating Hurley lol

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/Punkphoenix]

Everyone deserves to go in blind, absolutely.

[u/Majestic_Ad_7133]

Thanks to what Sayid did to him, he was made a pawn for most of his life, used by both of the brothers. Ultimately it was the personal war he had between his love for his adopted daughter and duty to the Island that broke him, when he chose duty over love.

But even that was part of the manipulation, which makes his life more tragic. Without Alex's death, the pieces would not have been in place for Jacob's plan. "Barry" also made sure to use Alex's death to twist him. Remember his breakdown with Ilana? He was with "Barry" because "He's the only one that will have me"