"The Man Behind the Curtain"

With just a few weeks left in this season of Lost, I thought it would be fun to brainstorm some ideas I've had about the show. I have loved the past couple of months with a new episode every single week. I feel like it's given it the momentum it needs to really build suspense and keep us guessing about the story. And it's always a plus to be able to remember what happened in the previous episode when you're watching a new one.

(Spoiler alert! If you haven’t watched last night’s episode yet this will give stuff away!)

Last night's episode, "The Man Behind the Curtain" had some interesting Biblical references. We learned that Ben's mother died giving birth to him; in the Bible, Benjamin was the youngest son of Rachel, and she died when he was born. Benjamin's father was Jacob, so it's interesting that Jacob is the name of the invisible man who Ben insists is in charge on the island. Ben definitely needs a father figure, considering what a douche his own dad was - and the fact that he killed him.

I’m pretty sure that Jacob is a ghost. We know Ben can see dead people as he saw his mother as a boy, and we know that some people get this ability on the island and it’s considered a special gift. Maybe that’s why Ben was so upset that Locke was able to hear Jacob – it shows that Locke has some of that ability too and it is threatening to Ben’s position as leader. Ben was also threatened by Locke’s healing after the plane crash, and the fact that Ben isn’t healing so well after his surgery. He sees Locke as someone who could possibly depose him, and he knows there are many who would be glad to see that happen (Juliet especially.)

One thing is for sure – ghost or not, Jacob is real. Ben’s reaction to Locke having heard him is good enough evidence for that, but if you need more proof, here it is – several people at lost-forum.com have posted screencaps of the scene in Jacob’s house, and in one of the stills you can actually see him. (I thought I saw him out of the corner of my eye, but I was so freaked out by the scene that I wasn't sure if I had imagined it!)

So who is Jacob? Alvar Hanso? Desmond from another dimension? Locke's evil twin? Maybe it’s someone else from the Dharma Initiative who was killed in the purge. Horace Goodspeed? Or maybe it’s one of the “natives” who has been in charge for a long time. And about those natives; how did they get to the island? Are they immortal? From the time Ben firsts meets Richard to the present day, he doesn’t seem to have aged at all. Did they come on the Black Rock? Are they the Pirates of the Caribbean?

I thought this episode was excellent, and incredibly creepy. I watched it by myself after everyone went to bed and I was so scared afterwards I had to watch “Thank God You’re Here” before I went to bed just to calm myself down. I can’t remember the last time a television show had that kind of effect on me. That’s good TV.