When Jack told Alex that the reason he saved Ben's life was because he had promised to do so, she definitely did not look pleased about that answer. This got me to thinking why that would be so. Here is my guess:

Alex (and Karl) were brought up by the Others to believe that they are "the Good Guys", and that would of course mean that anyone who is not an Other would be pig slime. When Alex discovers that Jack (who is not an Other, obviously) saved her father's life due to some high ethical reasons, it was a slap in the face of all she had been taught growing up to believe that non-Others would not act in such a way. Jack's answer made her upset, because it tears apart her worldview - her Weltanschauung, to put it in the German...

Was it that Alex didn't like Jack's answer, or she was sent to get that answer? IMO, everything we've seen with the Others where Jack's concerned has been staged. It seems like he is under a constant state of evaluation, and he's just about at the point where he's satisfied the Others' leadership that he isn't a threat to their way of life. Jack is important to them, but for reasons other than being a surgeon. He is THEIR "Messiah." Just as the Jews could use the Book of Isaiah to evaluate prospective Messiahs, the Others are using a a very specific set of criteria to determine whether the "promised one" (Jack) is truly who he appears to be.

Interesting, rabidranger. Or, interessieren, to put it in the German...

Was it that Alex didn't like Jack's answer, or she was sent to get that answer? IMO, everything we've seen with the Others where Jack's concerned has been staged.

I hope so. Because otherwise, I have lost any interest in their story whatsoever. I hate victim!Juliet and I hope they'll go back to what made her character intriguing in the first place: the ambiguity of her motives and her actions and her ruthlessness.

Jack is important to them, but for reasons other than being a surgeon.

That would make up for the absolute "rubbish" explanation of "a surgeon fell out of the sky" and the tumor storyline as a set up for taking Jack, Kate and Sawyer so if only for that, I will patiently wait for future developments of Jack with the Others.

I loved his scenes with Ben and Alex tonight I'm looking forward to another game of poker with the Others.

Alex isn't terribly fond of Ben, so I think she was less than thrilled with Jack's answer. I think she really wants Daddy dead.

Was it that Alex didn't like Jack's answer, or she was sent to get that answer? IMO, everything we've seen with the Others where Jack's concerned has been staged. It seems like he is under a constant state of evaluation, and he's just about at the point where he's satisfied the Others' leadership that he isn't a threat to their way of life. Jack is important to them, but for reasons other than being a surgeon. He is THEIR "Messiah." Just as the Jews could use the Book of Isaiah to evaluate prospective Messiahs, the Others are using a a very specific set of criteria to determine whether the "promised one" (Jack) is truly who he appears to be.

Hey, the Messiah parallel ties in nicely with that creepy Isabel's interpretation of the meaning of Jack's tattoo.....well, i mean, what it says....not what it means

Hell of a way to treat your savior, eh? :)

Was it that Alex didn't like Jack's answer, or she was sent to get that answer? IMO, everything we've seen with the Others where Jack's concerned has been staged. It seems like he is under a constant state of evaluation, and he's just about at the point where he's satisfied the Others' leadership that he isn't a threat to their way of life. Jack is important to them, but for reasons other than being a surgeon. He is THEIR "Messiah." Just as the Jews could use the Book of Isaiah to evaluate prospective Messiahs, the Others are using a a very specific set of criteria to determine whether the "promised one" (Jack) is truly who he appears to be.

I think Ben sees, or has foreseen him as a threat, because of his ability to organize and convince people to do things that they would normally be afraid to do. Not to mention that it seems everyone is quite tired of Ben's politics and string pulling for his own Ben efit (pun intended). So, he's probably using the old trick of keeping your enemies as friends, or at least, close to hand. All this while he manipulates Jack into taking good care of him.

Jack's answer made her upset, because it tears apart her worldview
Oh, I think Alex' worldview has already been torn apart. She's seeing the truth behind daddy & his people's little society, and she DOESN'T like it. She (and Karl) are clearly rebellious against the whole setup. Only she's the boss's daughter--so she runs free while poor Karl gets locked up in cages, beaten, and brainwashed. I suspect they are two of Juliet's allies, as mentioned by Juliet in her video for Jack.

I think she's just surprised that keeping your word to someone like BEN could mean anything to Jack. Especially given what Ben had done to him and his friends. Alex seems to know right from wrong--but she hasn't grasped the concept of someone keeping their word because they gave their word. Jack wasn't doing it for Ben--Jack was doing it for JACK. Because integrity is gospel to Jack.

Maybe someday, Alex will come to understand that. But it shall take time.

I think she's just surprised that keeping your word to someone like BEN could mean anything to Jack. Especially given what Ben had done to him and his friends. Alex seems to know right from wrong--but she hasn't grasped the concept of someone keeping their word because they gave their word. Jack wasn't doing it for Ben--Jack was doing it for JACK. Because integrity is gospel to Jack.

Maybe someday, Alex will come to understand that. But it shall take time.

Yes! This was well said - it was what I was trying to say at the first, but couldn't quite articulate it so well. It's one thing to become a rebel against Ben/Daddy, and quite another thing to have a person like Jack come along who embodies the opposite of what Alex has been brought up to believe. It means that she was placed face-to-face with someone who could put ideals into direct action. Up to now, I think Alex has been rebellious and playing a game of surviving out in the woods. But to have Jack come along it has shown her a whole new way of living well, and not just to live one's life just to survive or to rebel. This was shocking to her, I think...

I thought it was something much simpler - I think she wanted Ben to die! Because he's the one keeping her and Karl apart, or so it seems.

Interesting, rabidranger. Or, interessieren, to put it in the German...


Haha. Sehr interessant...

I think this is a promising line of thought.

The title of the episode, as well as several (many?) other references throughout the series, seem to fit nicely in line with being an allegorical reference to the history of the jews....

if jack is their messiah, does that make Ben John the Baptist?

I thought it was something much simpler - I think she wanted Ben to die! Because he's the one keeping her and Karl apart, or so it seems.

I agree.

Sometimes a cigar IS just a cigar.