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5x07 The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham: Recap
In last night’s episode:
We learned the Ajira Airways flight did crash, and the survivors have set up camp on the beach. A survivor named Cesar (we remember him as saying “Sorry for your loss” to Jack at the ticket counter) finds a shelter containing documents with Dharma symbols. He reads through them. He also finds a gun, but does not admit this to Ilana (we remember her as the marshall with Sayid on the plane). Locke, appearing in the water donning a suit, creates a bit of a stir amongst the survivors. No one remembers him being on the plane, and he is rather well-dressed. Locke admits to Ilana, and then Cesar, separately, that he does not remember being on the plane, but can guess as to how he got there, and why he was wearing a suit. He explains he remembers dying, and believes he was to be buried in the suit.
We also learn the pilot and “a woman” took the passenger list and one of the three boats that were found on the beach The survivors are also curious about some of the passengers that seemed to disappear before the plane went down. Cesar describes a “large man with curly hair” to Locke, who was there one minute and gone the next in a flash of light. Cesar takes Locke to see the injured, where he sees Ben (who is sleeping), noting “He’s the man that killed me.”
In flashbacks, we see what happened to Locke after he turned the frozen donkey wheel:
Locke arrives in Tunisia, away from civilization. The only thing he sees is a camera, focused on where he lay, and a number of poles carrying power and presumably the signal from the camera. He cannot walk, as he suffered a compound fracture from falling down the well. He calls for help, but it is night (and presumably hours later) when help arrives. Four men speaking a language Locke does not understand carrying him to a flatbed pickup truck and drive off. At the hospital it is communicated to him by gestures to swallow pills (it is unknown what is in them) and bite down on a stick. We can see Matthew Abbaddon standing off to the side, watching. The doctor sets Locke’s leg, and the extreme pain causes him to pass out.
Locke wakes up to see Charles Widmore at his bedside. Widmore explains how he had a more experienced doctor re-set Locke’s leg. Locke does not recognize Widmore, and Widmore explains he met Locke when he was 17, on the island. He appears fascinated that Locke has not changed a bit, and Widmore has aged by over forty years. Locke explains that for him, it has only been four days since he met young Widmore.
During his talks with Widmore, Locke learns the camera was set up at that spot on Tunisia because that is the “exit”. Widmore knows this because Ben tricked him into leaving many years ago, because Widmore was the leader of the people we know as the Others. Widmore claims to want to do anything he can to get Locke back to the island, because it is important he be there to lead, because “a war is coming”. Widmore says he only sent his people there for Ben, because Ben had to be stopped. Locke explains how Richard Alpert told him he must die, but Widmore says he will do anything he can to keep this from happening. Widmore provides Locke with a driver, Matthew Abbaddon, to help him find his friends who have returned, and get back to the island.
Locke’s visits:
First, Locke visits Sayid, who is building a school in Santo Domingo. It appears he is a volunteer. Sayid explains how he had worked for, and been tricked by Ben. He says he was able to be married to the love of his life for 9 months, and it was the happiest 9 months of his life. He refuses to return to the island with Locke, and invites him to help him build, to “do some real good”.
Second, Locke visits Walt as he is getting out of school. Matthew Abaddon walks to the side to give them some “privacy”. Walt is happy to see Lock, he says he’s been dreaming about him, in a suit on the island with people around him (that want to hurt him). He seems happy, and Locke chooses to tell him he just wanted to see him, rather than encourage him to return to the island. When asked about this, he tells Abaddon “He’s been through so much.” Locke told Walt the last he’d heard about his father, Michael, was that he was on a barge off the island.
Third, Locke visits Hurley in the mental institution. First Hurley believes Locke is dead, because he has been visited by people who died on the island. After Hurley becomes convinced Locke is alive, he alerts Locke they are being watched by Abaddon. Locke insists Abaddon is one of the good guys, and he needs to get everyone back to the island. Hurley becomes flustered, noting how he had encountered Abaddon when he claimed to work for Oceanic Airlines and visited him in the institution. Hurley shuts down, and gets the nurses to take him inside.
Fourth, Locke visits Kate. They talk in her kitchen, and she refuses to return to the island. She comments on how much wanted to stay on the island, and suggests it is because he didn’t love anyone. He tells her about Helen, the woman he loved, but how it didn’t work out.
Locke had been asking Abaddon to find Helen. After visiting Kate, Abaddon brings Locke to a cemetary, to Helen’s grave. He says she died of a brain aneurysm. He tells Locke Helen is where she is supposed to be, and the island is where he is supposed to be, and anything he’s done or does will lead him tot he island. Abaddon says its his job to get people where they need to go, saying “I’m just a driver”. After helping Locke into the car, Abaddon is shot multiple times but a shooter off-camera. Locke gets into the driver’s seat and quickly pulls away, only to crash at the next intersection.
Knocked unconcious by the crash, Locke is brought to Jack’s hospital. He awakens to see Jack sitting next to his bed. Locke tells him he needs his help to get everyone back to the island (“You’re supposed to help me”). Jack refuses, and then Locke tells him his father says hi. He tells Jack how he deduced Christian was his father, and Jack insists his father is dead, and storms out.
Defeated, we see Locke in an unkempt room. He writes his note to Jack (“I wish you had believed me”) and puts it in his pocket. He takes out a bag with an extension cord, knocks out the ceiling, and prepares to hang himself. As he is about to do so, Ben comes charging in and stops him.
Ben admits to killing Abaddon, in order to protect Locke. He emplores him not to commit suicide, and Locke, in tears, removes the cord from his neck. Locke tells Ben why he didn’t visit Sun, because Jin had asked him not to bring her back, and had given Locke his wedding ring as proof he had washed up dead on shore. Locke explains to Ben what he was told, how to get back to the island. Locke tells Ben about getting the people who left the island together, and meeting with Eloise Hawking. After hearing mention of Eloise Hawking, Ben takes the cord and strangles Locke. He sets up the room to look like Locke hung himself and says he will really miss Locke, before leaving.
Written by Susan
Pictures courtesy of: Lost-Media.com
