Looking Back at Lost – He's Our You
The Final Moments Leave Ben’s Fate in the Balance
Any discussion of He’s Our You has to begin with the end of the episode, when Sayid tried to fulfill his perceived purpose in the 1970s by blowing away little Ben Linus. That moment is sure to have monumental implications for the Lost universe, forcing the show to address questions about time travel that have been percolating since the beginning of the fifth season.
The main issue is whether the characters in the past have the ability to alter the future or if their actions are predetermined parts of the island’s history. In either case, Sayid’s decision to shoot Ben has some intriguing implications. Of course, the big question is whether Ben is really dead — but that should be revealed soon enough.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Linus
If the characters do have the ability to change the future, then Sayid may have made some drastic changes. Ben is a pivotal figure in the lives of the castaways, both on and off the island. Without him, many of the events in the characters’ lives would lack a driving force. Love him or hate him, Ben is central figure in the Lost universe, and his absence would have a major impact.
If Sayid was always meant to shoot Ben, the dynamic between the two characters develops a new level of significance, especially Ben’s “You’re a killer” speech. If Ben knew that Sayid was going to shoot him, would he have tried to stop him? Or did he accept his destiny because he knows more about time travel than Lost’s other characters — and viewers?
Sayid’s Shot at Redemption
Whether it was predestined or not, the shooting has major implications for Sayid’s character. As we learned in a series of flashbacks, he sees killing as the ends to justify a good or noble means: He killed the chicken to help his brother, he killed the people on Ben’s list to avenge Nadia and keep his friends safe, and he tried to kill Ben to prevent more deaths in the future.
Despite his good intentions and his attempts to change, Sayid still can’t escape from the fact that he is a talented killer. And, in his drug-induced haze of truth, he admitted that he is a “bad man.” Wouldn’t be ironic if his shooting Ben was the first step that turned Ben into the person that he will eventually become? Perhaps one bad man created another.
Is Sawyer a Bad Man Too?
Just a few episodes after Sawyer came into his own as an admirable leader, he found himself in a moral predicament and faltered, turning Sayid over to creepy interrogator Oldham and even voting in favor of his friend’s execution. As he told Juliet, they have “built a life here” with Dharma, and Mr. LaFleur doesn’t want to give that up.
The burning bacon on Juliet’s stove presented a stark contrast to the lovely dinner that she and Sawyer shared not too long ago. She seems resigned, however, to losing both their relationship and their place in Dharma. She seemed to be talking about both when she asked him if Sawyer if “this” was over, and her attitude toward Kate seemed more sad than angry or jealous.
Kate herself tried unsuccessfully to hide her hurt feelings when Hurley revealed that Sawyer and Juliet were together. But the castaways have a lot more to worry about that love. Sayid’s drug-induced ramblings may not have revealed their true identities, but more suspicion is sure to come their way after his escape and the flaming bus incident. It doesn’t matter who’s in love — everyone is headed for trouble.
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