So Jack definitely seems like he is going to run when the door opens.
His choice to do the surgery seems to stem from viewing Kate and Sawyer on the monitor.

What is his motivation to do the surgery?

Does he want to save Sawyer because he sees that Kate really loves him, or is it is something else?

I thought it was interesting that he cut something that had to do with Ben's kidney, and that's Locke's favorite body part. O_O

It definitely stems from Jack's love for Kate. Whether he wants to save Sawyer for her or whether he just wants to save her, I don't know.

I think Jack has always known that his leverage over the Others was the surgery. In the beginning, Jack was simply not going to do the surgery at all, but when he saw Kate and saw how emotionally distraught she was and what she told him she's been through, he felt the only way to really force their hands was to literally put a knife to Ben.

I think Jack acknowledges that Kate loves Sawyer (whether it's true or not) and just wants her (and Sawyer) safe. Keep in mind that Jack doesn't know that they are on another island. He thinks they can just take off and run through the jungle. It doesn't lessen his sacrifice.

I think it was two-fold, I think that he wanted to save Kate and make sure she was happy, and that meant saving Sawyer too. And I think that he really does want to get "the hell of the island". If he can't have Kate, I don't think that he wan'ts to be around while she is in a close intimate relationship with someone else...I think that in part it brings back to many memories of his wife and her leaving him for another man... :twocents:

Jack chose to do the surgery because his life is doing surgery. It is what he is ethically and morally dedicated to, and "above all do no harm." It is his training.

But he's not above leveraging the moment for some good trades and maybe a con of his own. :biggrin:

OK, but here's another question - if Ben can leave the island any time he wants to, why is he so desparate for Jack to do this surgery? Shouldn't he just be able to go to some top notch hospital in the "real world?"

I think this episode finally explains why the first episode of this season was called "A Tale of Two Cities."

The plot of that book involves two men (Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton) who are both in love with the same woman, Lucie Manette. Lucie loves Darnay, but he is taken to prison and awaiting execution. Carton saves his life by switching places with him, and dying for him. He does this because he knows Lucie loves Darnay, and he wants her to be happy.

I see alot of parallels between this story and the Kate, Jack, Sawyer plotline. I think that Jack chose to sacrifice himself so that Kate and Sawyer can escape.

Perhaps Ben thought that by allowing Jack to see that Kate and Sawyer were "together" it would make Jack forsake them, when it actually motivated him to save them.

Cause he knew it would put him in an indisputable position of power over the Others.
Duh

"Hey, I have your leader split open and his life is in my hands. WTF are you gonna do about it now?"

I think it was two-fold, I think that he wanted to save Kate and make sure she was happy, and that meant saving Sawyer too. And I think that he really does want to get "the hell of the island". If he can't have Kate, I don't think that he wan'ts to be around while she is in a close intimate relationship with someone else...I think that in part it brings back to many memories of his wife and her leaving him for another man... :twocents:I was wondering about this angle, too, especially when reading the caption for this pic (#11) for the extended Amex content (http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/lostandfound/index)
It says "Jack sees Kate and Sawyer sleeping together. Is this why he agress to do the surgery? To get off the island, away from Kate?"
I think that he wants to distance himself from her. He doesn't want to deal with another woman's betrayal/rejection.

Cause he knew it would put him in an indisputable position of power over the Others.
Duh

"Hey, I have your leader split open and his life is in my hands. WTF are you gonna do about it now?"
This is also, obviously, an excellent point, but not in the typical sense. Yes, he has power and control over Ben when he is under the knife, but it would be worse if he had refused him surgery (if he is truly ill) because he would die.

I wouldn't say that it is an indisputible position, because he knows that there are some of the Others that are against Ben, including the other doctor in the room. Killing Ben is what they told him that they want -- so he (Jack) would not have power over them.

However, aside from his 'plan', I think that doing the surgery made him comfortable in a way. It is something that he enjoys doing and gives him a sense of purpose. After seeing Kate and Sawyer together, he may have wanted to do something that made him feel important again.

I think this episode finally explains why the first episode of this season was called "A Tale of Two Cities."

The plot of that book involves two men (Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton) who are both in love with the same woman, Lucie Manette. Lucie loves Darnay, but he is taken to prison and awaiting execution. Carton saves his life by switching places with him, and dying for him. He does this because he knows Lucie loves Darnay, and he wants her to be happy.

I see alot of parallels between this story and the Kate, Jack, Sawyer plotline. I think that Jack chose to sacrifice himself so that Kate and Sawyer can escape.

Perhaps Ben thought that by allowing Jack to see that Kate and Sawyer were "together" it would make Jack forsake them, when it actually motivated him to save them.

I think your dead-on, Kenlyn.

"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known," - Sydney Carton's last words and the final line of Tale of Two Cities. Carton has exchanged places with Charles Darney the evening before Mr. Darney's execution, as an act of love toward Lucie Mannette, the woman both Carton and Darney love but who chose to marry Darney rather than Carton. In TOTC, it's Darney who is the romantic aristocrat while Carton is the cold cynic. It's very interesting to look at Darney and Carton in relation to Jack and Sawyer, noting the differences, as well as similarities, in the ways these four characters are presented in Lost and TOTC.

dave

OK, but here's another question - if Ben can leave the island any time he wants to, why is he so desparate for Jack to do this surgery? Shouldn't he just be able to go to some top notch hospital in the "real world?"

It seems beyond belief that Jack himself wouldn't ask Ben this very question before agreeing to do the surgery.

:clap: Kenlynn!!

Jack agreed to the surgery cuz he knew that he could have a bargaining chip by nicking Ben's kidney--and the chip would be used to "buy" Kate and James their freedom.That was the one thing he COULD accomplish. He knew his own fate was sealed--no one's gonna let him go back to L.A.; no one's gonna "protect" him if he lets Ben die. But saving Kate & James? THAT he could do!

I'm so proud of Jack! :thumbup: