So his fear of technology stems from his inability to eat a hamburger, then.

If it was somebody we know, would they have shown Jacob as much as they did? I wouldn't think so. But it does look a bit like Locke with long hair.

If it's not Hasselhof, then it's definitely Victor Garber.

I agree that they had no idea where they were going for the first two seasons. Shoot, maybe the first half of this season they had no idea. But there has been a lot of press about the fact that they have narrowed things down now and have definite plotlines for the many loose threads in the show. I think we've seen this play out over the last few, very good episodes. They clearly appear to be going somewhere. Whether it's satisfactory or not to those of us on the journey...not sure if that will be the case...

Random Fact of the Day:

Ben's Mother is the wife of Michael Emerson.

After all the Dharmies were killed why were the others so willing to give control of the herd to Ben?

My guess would be a two parter:

1) Ben is the one responsible for their success and had been a long term ally by then.

2) He may not have been the guy in control at first, but he schemed his way into that position as people fell by the wayside.

Maybe because he was willing to kill his own so that the "other" people could continue their lives. Also, the two words Locke heard were "Don't Go" and not "Help me" as he stated to Ben.

Question: Why couldnt Ben hear what Jacob told Locke? It seems as if Ben and Jacob were having a back to back convo, or did Ben stage that whole thing just to see if Jacob would communicate with Locke (The One)?

Very strange episode - I'm not sure what to think. I wonder what that gray powder was that was spread in a circle around Jacob's cabin.

Jacob looks like Locke with a beard and hair.

Richard has that pirate look about him too.

Is just me or does Jacob look like the Other Danny Pickett, that was killed by Juliet?

It was "Help me." That's what I heard, and that's what the closed captioning said.

Well there is something obviously special about him, because Richard was pretty surprised that he could see his dead mother on the island.

Maybe I need to watch with those on next time. Sorry for the mistake.

maybe that gray powder was smokey monster, adn it sure looked like a young locke. It seemed ben was very interested in what jacob said, because ben apparently cant communicate with jacob. so is Jacob LOCKE?, or is jacob whoever is speaking to him?

So people want more of the mystery/sci-fi/super natural stuff...they bring it back...and everybody gets pissed?

Ben's flashback was ok but obviously rushed.

Any character with a flashback NOT see things or people from their past on the island?

I went back to the tivo and this is who I saw in the chair.

looked like steven keaton to me

ben can communicate with jacob. the reason he shot locke was the fact that locke could hear him.

edit: by the way, jacob = management from carnivale? i haven't watched the 2nd season of carnivale yet, so i can't be completely sure about this comparsion, but the two 'invisible' leaders/people giving orders made me think instantly of carnivale.

Awesome episode... really looking forward to the next few. Perhaps the Jacob situation has a 'you have to see, to believe' thing going for it. Or maybe he can willingly make himself appear to certain people? Who knows.

Edit: And Locke definitely isn't dead (at least I hope not). But I'm sure we won't find out until at least the finale.

I don't buy that. If Ben had asked first and then shot, that would make sense. There would be no reason for Ben to ask after shooting Locke if Ben heard what was said.

Jacob could be one of the Others that we have seen and has never communicated to Ben before as the Jacob character.

ben did ask what locke heard he before he shot him- right after jacob says, 'help me.' but locke, still thinking ben was putting on a show, told ben to stop dicking him around and then turned on the flashlight.

my guess for all this is that, since locke can hear jacob too(and the fact that john is walking after landing on the island), that ben now thinks locke is more special than he is, and is now taking out the competition.