Wingster

4 toed statue return?
hope so....i wish next week didn't take place in the 70s
the present is much more interesting with the Triangle of Awesome™

goodbreakingbad

Tonight's ep was my favorite of the season if just for the Ben-factor, HUGE fan here! Ahhh...I have 3 guys I wanna win for the Best Supporting Male in a Drama Series now.....Michael Emerson was AMAZING tonight! That ending with Smokey, and seeing those past visions...he OWNED all of that! And then the final moments with Alex, wow!

Enigma

I agree, give Michael Emerson an Emmy already. He continues to amaze.

Bella Grint

I am so glad we got this episode..the focus was right, redemption, revenge and repentance. I knew Ben wouldn't get judged too harshly I am SO glad we saw Alex again although I wonder was that a spirit that was really her? Or did the island just conjure her to shake Ben up and follow Locke's orders?

I must admit, I like the shift. Ben is now under Locke's control. And Alex being used for that was clever. But it was heartbreaking to see how Ben and Alex unfolded as father and daughter. And he didn't kill Penny afterall!

Enigma

Oh I forgot to say that I'm so happy he didn't shoot Penny. That would have killed me.

XChris76X

Awesome episode probably my favorite so far this season. Ben and Locke are my 2 favorites so the fact they had the focus was just great.

Bella Grint

I have to say, I didn't miss any of the other characters too much

Ben told Sun and co. that he didn't know Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Jin and Hurley had been part of the Dharma I. though...

lynnashley

Loved tonights epi. Probably one of my favs. Alex looked hott

sicodelique

Loved the ep

Clarrie

Loved the episode. ME and TOQ are fantastic apart, but even better together. There can’t be a bad Ben/Locke episode. Love the the role reversal between them.
"It let me live" Ben didn’t seem to be very happy about that

Flashback!hairs are always hilarious.

So, Widmore was making trips off-island and had a daughter with an 'outsider.' Good to have a confirmation that Penny wasn’t an island kid.

eragon194

Here I was thinking that it was ironic that Richard took Ben inside a "temple" so that he could "lose his innocence". But how deep and moving was the irony that the same man about whom once Richard said "all his innocence will be gone" is influenced into doing good deeds because his heart is moved by the innocence that is found in children, the same innocence that he supposedly lost at the age of 14? This was ironic storytelling at it's best and I admit that I am a sucker for it. It also makes me wonder if Richard did something so that Ben wouldn't lose his innocence.

Best episode of the season for me. Steeped in mythology, void of the extremely annoying romance story of this show, John Locke being sure of himself for once, instead of being pathetically unsure, Caesar getting killed off, no Dharma folks, it couldn't get any better. But most of all, the slightly explanatory tone of Ben's story in this episode was most satisfying. Ben is a character that is deeply part of the show and he is shown to be extremely cold-hearted most of the times. So with most viewers it doesn't sit well when such a character is allowed to run scott-free without fear of retribution. In this episode however, we saw an explanation of certain actions of his and in a very different light.
For example, now we know that Ben wasn't the one who ordered the Purge. Charles was the leader at that time and he ordered that genocide. Infact, the only person Ben killed in that genocide was his father. And I have no doubt that it was Ben's idea to save Ethan.

April7739

Season 5 continues to amaze! I didn't like last night's episode as much as WHH, but it was still really good. Michael Emerson is just an incredible actor. Really, he's best of the best.

buffyfan145

I LOVED this ep and made me realize again how much I LOVE Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn!!! They were SO great in this episode!!!

Really AWESOME to see Smokey and how he judges!!! That was SO cool seeing all the images of Alex in the smoke and that Ben got to live but have to follow every thing Locke says and does. Such an awesome reveal!!!

Smokey is pictured with Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead and probably the person of the 4-toe-statue!!!!!! Anubis helps to judge the dead as well, so it's cool seeing that on the Island Smokey is in charge of judging the living!!!

All the Egyptian things in the temple was SO awesome to see!!!

What's with Illana??? Is she one of the Others!!! And what's in that crate???

We hardly knew Ceaser and he's already dead.

Poor Frank!!! Hope he's ok.

Wonder how Locke will get everyone stuck in 1977 back???

Really cool seeing more of the backstory with Ben taking Alex, how Danielle went nuts, Widmore being the leader then being banished and finding out he had Penny with another woman in England. But who are the others who were banished with Widmore??? And seeing Ethan as a little boy with the Others too!!! I guess Ben saved him when the purge happened.

Intresting that Ben has no idea how the Island resurected Locke. This seems to be the first time that's happened there.

SO happy Des, Penny, and baby Charlie are ok!!! I was SO worried Ben was going to kill them!!! And I litterly jumped SO high when Des knocked Ben over!!!

=-Kathy->

Both Michale E, as Ben, and Terry OQ, as Locke, were fantastic last night, especially Michael E. I can never tell how much Ben is lieing and how much is true. Just when I thought he is pure evil he doesn't follow through and kill Penny when he sees her son. We all knew Ben went to kill Penny. So glad he didn't. He redeemed himself in my eyes a little with that and not killing Danielle or Alex.

I loved seeing all the flashbacks that showed the history between Ben, Alex and Charles Widmore. Loved how Widmore used the same phrases defending his acting in the best interest of the island when he was the leader as Ben later used when he was leader. Come to think of it Locke also used some of the same justification for his actions in the past. I wonder if he will become more like Ben and Widmore now that he is leader. Love how Terry really showed Locke's calm confidence throughout the episode.

Smokie is awesome. Loved the picture/bias relief above the vents showing Smokie and Anubis. I think Smokie is the agent or instrument of Anubis on the island. Makes sense since Anubis, an Egyptian god, weights the souls in the after life. Supposedly he protects souls as they journey to the afterlife, and is the patron of lost souls, and consequently orphans, which really ties in with the show. So it looks like the 4-toed statue is of Anubis, which some have already suspected.

I think Ilana and several of the 316 passengers are "together". They seemed to bond quickly and then the phrase, something like "What is buried in the shadow of the statue" sounded like some kind of pass phrase that members of a secret society would use to identify themselves to each other. They are probably in the pay of Widmore but with Lost it could be almost anything.

This is one of my favorite episodes this season.

Bella Grint

Poor Frank indeed. I think the only reason he became a suspect was because he came back after going MIA for awhile. I am surprised Ceaser was killed off too!

I never suspected Penny was an island baby I don't think. It makes sense that trips were being made off the island and Charles was conducting them. It makes you wonder how many of those who were banished really did off the island. If they were born on the island it's not like they had families or friends off..so they could've done the same thing. Who knows? It was great seeing the doomed Ethan too. Maybe Ben saved all the young children and babies when the purge occured?