The "Hostiles" had definetly been there for quite some time, so how did Ben go from being a dharma janitor to the only one who talks to jacob and controlling what the hostiles do?

My guess is that the island holds some sort of destiny for Ben as it seems to for Locke.

A flashback for another time, perhaps?

"Work will set you free"...cute Auschwitz reference...just like the pile of bodies?

"Work will set you free"...cute Auschwitz reference...just like the pile of bodies?

Not so sure he's the real leader of the Others/Hostiles. When Mikhail was getting his head beaten in by Locke, Ben looked to Richard and Tom to stop him and looked mystified when neither one moved to help.
Richard seemed to also give Locke the answer to the problem of killing his father when Ben was content to let him work it out on his own.
So maybe Ben believes he's in control, of the people he's brought there and the 815 survivors at least. But probably not of the island's older inhabitants.
I can see them making him their defacto leader though, considering he seems to be a big part in making the purge happen. After all, he found out how to turn off the barriers when he was young, probably did it again before having that last drink with dad.

YES YES YES! My question exactly. How is Ben now ordering Richard around when he was the one to 'saved' him from the Dharma people? Don't get it.

That being said...the whole Jacob scene actually gave me chills!!!!!! And the ending was insane. Go LOST!!

My theory is that certain people can interact more than others with the Island, and the more you can interact with the island, the more important you become. Richard seemed really interested to hear that Ben had seen his dead mother in the Jungle, and now we know that he can see/hear Jacob, someone who apparently is not visible to everyone. I think this is why the others really like Locke: the island cured his paralysis, and now we also found out the he can hear Jacob. I think Ben knew that Locke wouldn't be able to see Jacob, and probably also thought that hw wouldn't have been able to hear him as well. Thus, Ben totally freaked out when he found out that Locke could hear Jacob, and knew that he would be a treat to his position.

My theory is that certain people can interact more than others with the Island, and the more you can interact with the island, the more important you become. Richard seemed really interested to hear that Ben had seen his dead mother in the Jungle, and now we know that he can see/hear Jacob, someone who apparently is not visible to everyone. I think this is why the others really like Locke: the island cured his paralysis, and now we also found out the he can hear Jacob. I think Ben knew that Locke wouldn't be able to see Jacob, and probably also thought that hw wouldn't have been able to hear him as well. Thus, Ben totally freaked out when he found out that Locke could hear Jacob, and knew that he would be a treat to his position.

That's what I'm thinking. Good thoughts. I think that's why Ben was so mad and hostile towards Locke at the end and why he shot him. Maybe Ben was the special one and now Locke can hear Jacob and it's threatening Ben?

Agreed 100%, adamh. Past Richard was shocked Ben could hear and see (specifically hear, it seemed) someone who died off the island. I'm guessing after that, Past Ben becomes part of the Hostile fold--sneaking out, learning about the island from its inhabitants WHILE learning all sorts of scientific off-island things from Dharma's school. Imagine the perspective he could have given EACH side--! And the well-rounded knowledge he grew up with...interesting that Locke sealed his fate (sorta) when he HEARD Jacob--as Past Ben did when he HEARD someone who died off the island speak. With the Whispers and flashes and not-there-people making an appearance and all, there's a cool theme of perception going on...