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Anybody changed their tune about Ben?

  • 14-05-2007 5:15pm
    #1
    Spiritus Mundi#
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭


    There seems to be a lot of Ben-lovers on this forum, due to his characters ability to manipulate people and events so skillfully and Michael Emerson's quality acting. I'm no different to everyone else in loving his acting since he's been on the show, shines in almost every episode. But....!! ....has anybody else changed their opinion of Ben in recent episodes? Primarily 3x 20?

    I've got to admit i've always been on the 'side' of the Losties in every way, Sawyer, Kate, Jack, Hurley, Sayid, Sun etc all the original core main characters are the one's i care about , root for and look forward to their flashbacks.

    Ben, as portrayed now, the son of a withdrawn, alcoholic who blames him for his mother's death, seems to be vengeful, ruthless and uncaring. Add in pathological liar and possible unstable. How do you gas your dad and a whole village or people so flippantly! I dunno.... basically long-winded way of me saying i have always seen Ben as a 'baddie' and recent evidence not only reaffirms this belief but strengthens it.


Comments

  • #2
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Spiritus Mundi# wrote:
    Ben, as portrayed now, the son of a withdrawn, alcoholic who blames him for his mother's death, seems to be vengeful, ruthless and uncaring. Add in pathological liar and possible unstable. How do you gas your dad and a whole village or people so flippantly! I dunno.... basically long-winded way of me saying i have always seen Ben as a 'baddie' and recent evidence not only reaffirms this belief but strengthens it.
    There was a big time jump in Ben's flashback and I think the writers wanted to leave us with the above impression. Unlike Juliet who's motivations were made pretty clear in her last flashback, Ben's remain a mystery. But I believe they and the gaps in his backstory will be made clear in future flashbacks. Ever since that final moment between him and Sawyer in 3x04 I've been convinced that Ben is a hero and I still think that will turn out to be the case. He's my favourite character btw and 3x20 confirmed many of my ideas about him.


  • #3
    Spiritus Mundi#
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭Spiritus Mundi#


    I think the moment he gassed his dad and the village, it became impossible for me to see him as a good guy or 'hero'. Plus i have seen Carlton mention once or twice the word 'baddie' in reference to Ben, clearly i dont take everything on Lost on face value... .

    In every other back story, main characters have on occasion committed horrible deeds, but none of them ever appeared to be ruthless or for self-gain *thinking here of Kate killing her step-dad, Sawyer in Oz etc*.

    In fairness large chunks of the back-story are missing, but bottom line for me is Ben clearly grew up with all those villagers, and still had no qualms in giving them horrible deaths, more the actions of a power-crazed-vengeful lunatic than thoughtful, intelligent manipulator.


  • #4
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Spiritus Mundi# wrote:
    In fairness large chunks of the back-story are missing, but bottom line for me is Ben clearly grew up with all those villagers, and still had no qualms in giving them horrible deaths, more the actions of a power-crazed-vengeful lunatic than thoughtful, intelligent manipulator.

    Yeah but we still don't know why he did it. For that matter we don't even know what Dharma was doing on the island in the first place. They started the war with the natives and by all accounts were trying to kill them off completely. One side was going to get "purged" either way, Ben and several others chose to side against Dharma. We still don't have all the info but I think it's safe to assume Dharma were up to no good.


  • #5
    Haven't a Clue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭Haven't a Clue


    Nope, I love a good bastard. I've found watching the way Ben's dealt with the threat to his leadership over the last couple of episode absolutely fascinating. Ben is ruthless, but I'd far sooner watch someone ruthless than someone wishy washy (Jack springs to mind).

    There's loads of stuff yet to come on Ben and I predict, rather like Juliette, Ben's second flashback will be better than the first. It'll be lethal...


  • #6
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,661 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    No, if possible, I actually like him more...

    I'm a typical woman - the bigger the bastard, the more I like them! :p


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  • #7
    ZiabR
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭ZiabR


    Faith wrote:
    No, if possible, I actually like him more...

    I'm a typical woman - the bigger the bastard, the more I like them! :p

    Haha typical... :)

    But yeah the flashback has developed his character even more than before. I agree with Haven't A Clue when he says that the second Ben flashback will own big time. His character is so strong and his acting is always top notch. He really makes the character of Ben seem real if you know what i mean.


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