The Tail Section

Readers Theorize About “The Shape of Things to Come”

Lost Theories — April 29, 2008 at 9:41 am by admin

I don’t think it’s overstating it to say that last week’s episode of Lost provided us with one of the most interesting revelations in the history of the series.  We learned that Ben has the ability to control the smoke monster from a secret chamber buried within his house.  Even more interesting, the door to the chamber was marked with ancient hieroglyphics, leading us to believe that Smokey has been a presence on the island for much longer than we expected.  That reveal may not answer all of our questions regarding Ol’ Smokey, but it did open up many new possibilities to ponder.

Tail Section readers had a lot of thoughts about the events in "The Shape of Things to Come."  Read on for the best theories.



Submitted by Ellen J

Watching this past weeks "The Shape of Things to Come" it came to my mind that Ben and Mr. Widmore are playing their own game of Risk.  They’re two incredibly rich, powerful men to whom it appears that money is no object — they’re playing their own little game, but they’re using live people and places.  They had ground rules from the beginning that not all was fair game — family was to be kept out of it and protected.   But Widmore changed that rule.  Also, like Risk, there are certain countries that are key to winning the game.  In Ben and Widmore’s case, it appears that the Island is the key to winning the game. Ben somehow won much of what he’s got in terms of the Island through his strategizing and playing the Live Version of the game.  I thought that line from Mr. Widmore reminding Ben that all he’s got, he got from Widmore, was a definite easter egg.  I don’t think it was something that was just given to Ben.  He had to win them.

Submitted by Hanto

I have a new theory brewing now - this is a GAME between Ben and Charles.  A huge cosmic GAME.  I thought the scene with Locke, Sawyer and Hurley playing Risk was a beautiful metaphor.  There was some distinct language that supports this idea, most notably Ben saying (and later repeating) "He [Charles] changed the rules" and calling Alex "a pawn."  There have been many instances of games on the Island, which could be metaphors for the overlying plot.

Submitted by Adam

It is not possible that Ben has a clone, is it?  The bunny was cloned in the Orchid orientation video, so it might be possible for Ben.  I guess this is how the polar bear was excavated in the desert though.

Submitted by jason

Judging from the "he changed the rules", "you know I can’t kill you", and "it has always been my island and will be again" comments, I’m starting to think that this is all a God (Ben) vs. Widmore (Devil) scenario.  Given Lost’s countless Biblical references, this isn’t out of the question, is it?

Submitted by Ed Holden

So Charles and Ben can’t die off the island … perhaps for the same reason Michael and Jack can’t die either?  We only got that confirmation for Charles, though Ben certainly acted like he didn’t expect to get killed.

Anybody else notice the jacket that Ben had on when he woke up in Tunisia?  That must have been an Orchid station logo, but the name on the left breast said HALLIWAX, which was the name Marvin Candle used in the Orchid video.  But what interests me is this question: was Ben wearing that jacket because he came from someplace cold, or because he came from the island and didn’t know where he would end up?

Submitted by Crystal

My thoughts are that Ben has learned to control whatever it was that made Desmond time jump, so he is able to switch between times and places.  Which would be why he asked what the date was.

I think Charles Widmore was on the ship that crashed on the island.  Ben says that he can’t kill him, which to me means he was once on the island b/c we know that the people that have been on the island can’t seem to die when they are off the island.  And we also have seen that people on the island don’t age all that much, so there is a chance that Mr. Widmore is a lot older then he looks.  Or he was a child on the island and wants to go back.

Submitted by James

What about the quick shot of a woman picking up a child in the Ben Sayid sequence?  Shortly after, another shot has a woman out of focus in the background.  You heard it here first folks, Nadia is alive.  Master manipulator Ben has done it again.

Submitted by Dav

The buzz here at my office is that people think Widmore and Ben are each other’s constant - hence why they won’t/can’t kill the other.  I think it might make sense.

Submitted by Franky

If Ben does perhaps control Cerberus aka "Smokey" then why would he have had the following killed?

1) The pilot in the very first episode — Maybe Ben feared the pilot revealing to much info to the Losties on where they crash landed or are near to?
2) Smokey trying to capture Locke and take him underground towards the end of Season 1 — Ben knew who Locke was and knew he was special so he used Smokey to capture Locke and bring him in but good ol Jack foiled that plan.  Thus explaining Ben looking for Locke on his own this time when we see first are introduced to him in Season 2.
3) The killing of Mr.Eko — Ben probably felt threatened by him and wanted him killed since Eko killed a couple of Ben’s people.  Perhaps Eko was finding out too much about where the Stations were located and Ben sent Smokey in after him.
4) Smokey going after Kate and Juliet — Don’t know about this one but anyone can give opinion.
5) Finally, Smokey killing off the soldiers sent by Ben — Obviously Ben was PISSED and enlarged Smokey to wipe out all of the soldiers explaining why Smokey was about 500 feet long!

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