I still think Ben truly didn't want John to kill himself, because I'm sure Ben had some use for John towards his own ends, but I'm confused how John knowing to contact Eloise tipped the scale. Because Ben is then in contact with her, as we've seen, working together. So I don't understand why Ben suddenly changed his mind about Locke living. If he'd not killed him, then it still would have been the Oceanic 6 and Ben and Desmond planning to go back, but this time with Locke. *scratches head*

Did I miss a scene or two with the new survivors, or did they jump right into the middle of their story? If the latter, I'm cool with that since we've seen this scenario at least twice before.

I didn't mention this last week, but Terry O really brought his A game in the scene with Christian, and even before that when he's struggling with his broken leg. I had sympathy pain crawling over my skin.

Very concerned about the status of Aaron and Penny. And not sure why, but feel they are connected.

Just occurred to me: Ben wants the power and control, he wants to be the special one, and Locke keeps usurping him. So Ben shoots Locke, steals the task of turning the donkey wheel. And when he sees that Locke has the key to actually getting everyone back (Eloise), that's one more thing that Locke is "taking away" from him. He can't let Locke be the saviour of the island, so he killz him ded.

He can't let Locke be the saviour of the island, so he killz him ded.

And yet Ben is the one who insists Locke has to come back to the island.

Like, okay, it's time for the obligatory Mock John Locke scene.

The "Lost Untangled" does a good job of summarizing that. It's all "Come back! To the island!"/"Noooooo!!" over and over.

I wonder if Locke killing himself might have messed something up with the plan (i.e. a variation on "suicides can't get into heaven"), whereas if Ben kills him, it will all work out OK.

The Island won't let him kill himself, maybe?

I'm confused how John knowing to contact Eloise tipped the scale. Because Ben is then in contact with her, as we've seen, working together.

It's possible, as Juliebird said, that he's just a control freak. Locke killing himself appeared to be what he was going to do when he was following Widmore; Ben knew he needed to die but wanted him to go out on HIS terms.I'll bet when he wakes up, he's going to be all, "Hey, man, I knew you'd come back to life on the Island; you should THANK me [even though you would have been dead without my help unless you chickened out at the last second]."

I have a feeling Christian was on the Island before.

The Island won't let him kill himself, maybe?

I forgot that part. Between that and the suicide not working out the same it makes more sense. Saving him to kill him is not random.

Somebody remind me, how did Christian Shepard die?

He was killed at a bar, right? Did Sawyer shoot him? Or was that a misdirect?

During this time, Jack flew to Australia to find Christian, upon his mother's urging. He was told that Christian had been found dead in a Sydney alley, with his blood alcohol concentration so high that it was probably responsible for the massive heart attack that ostensibly led to his death.

[link]

He was killed at a bar, right? Did Sawyer shoot him? Or was that a misdirect?

That was someone else. That was the person he thought was Sawyer. He talked to Christian right before shooting him.