Taking away the whole DHARMA stuff surrounding Ben's teleportation, I figured Jacob gave Ben the capability of teleporting off the island... but I'm wrong there.

Another interesting tidbit is that Ben's alias when he goes to stay in the hotel in Tikrit, Muriarti, is from a Sherlocke Holmes villain. Dr. Muriarti is the first super villian that Holmes ever faces. He is a mad genious who controls all of the crime sendicuts in Europe. Ben is definately a "Bad Guy" no matter how many times he claims that he is a "Good Guy".

Ben said, "Dean Moriarty" reference to On The Road - Jack Kerouac
hence aboves "There was Ben's On the Road shout out..."

I re-watched 4.9 last night. Did anyone notice that when Ben came back out of the secret room that he had "black stuff" on his hands and face. It looked like ashes from a fire. There were not there before he when in (love my DVD). It was right after his return that the Smoke monster showed up.

Could that "black stuff" be part of the Smoke Monster? Way would he have to come in to physical contact with it?

Any one else see it? What do you think?

Cheers,
Bill

Yup I noticed it too but I was thinking more along the lines of underground tunnels than chunks of Smokey. Could go any number of directions though. I was also thinking about the ash around Jacob's cabin.

there were no footprints around bens body when he woke up in the desert - which would go along with the teleportation theory... or the dropped out of a plane theory...