The fact Ben told Locke he doesn't know what the monster in the jungle is either tells me the writers still don't have a clue as to what it is either. Also I was surprised it was brought up after all this time as it got pushed to background when the Others arrived. Granted it killed Mr. Eko but still it's not a thing we all tend to ponder about anymore.

Well I still ponder what the smoke monster is.
Still that is pretty funny. Maybe we should send the writers suggestions of what the smoke monster could be just in case they don't know.

I personally have excepted that in due time they will tell us, Ben actually doesn't know remember Left Behind Juliet says "we don't know what it is, but we know it doesn't like our fences"

I personally have excepted that in due time they will tell us, Ben actually doesn't know remember Left Behind Juliet says "we don't know what it is, but we know it doesn't like our fences"Like I said the writers don't know what it is either.

Ben has lied point blank to everyone all along....we really can't say with any certainty that he doesn't know what the monster is. Juliet said "whats that" and then something like "well we don't know what it is but we know it doesn't like our fences" so that would make me believe Ben more, than just having Ben say he doesn't know. I mean he was "born on the island" right?

- I'm not going to kill you if you tell me what the hell is the monster!
- Monster?
- C'mon, dude. The black smoke that killed one of us and scared the hell off our pants for three entire seasons.
- Well, I don't know. Sorry.

They couldn't give away too much in one episode. Maybe Ben really doesn't know, it's nearly impossible to tell with him. I hope he doesn't know, it would be nice to have something on the island that he can't manipulate.

I'm worried that they are just going to make it a ghost of some kind and Jacob is a ghost. The ghostbusting character has me worried about the show, that they are going to use the "unexplained supernatural" card for some of the aspects of the show. That would be a real bummer. It would be a non-answer.

Personally, I think the writer's approach to answering our questions this season has been quite pathetic thus far. The Jack's beard reference, the tall Walt reference & now the Smokey reference.
It's like the writer's are just trying to shut us up instead of letting the story reveal the answers in a natural & convincing manner.

Personally I expect the smoke doggie will turn out to be a nano-tech-***-bio techology that went a bit funny in the head. See Michael Crichton's "Prey" for the model.

Ben has lied point blank to everyone all along....we really can't say with any certainty that he doesn't know what the monster is.True Ben is very much a liar and a manipulator -- look how he's played Jack and Locke from the first moment he met them both.

The barrier was there to stop the hostiles from attacking the Dharma Initiative right? I think that was why unless I have forgot something. Could it be Dharma made the smoke monster thing and it got out, after the purge they probably didnt know what they was doing with half the dharma stuff, making the mistake of letting it go, but they know now the fence keeps it out.

Uh...yeah...this isnt that much of a spoiler so dont be afraid to read it

damon and carlton said on the podcast following "left behind" that juliet may not have exactly been truthful when she told kate that she ONLY knows the monster doesnt like their fences. also, damon and carlton revealed on a much earlier podcast that you will find out what the monster really is at the very end of the series

dont forget, even though with all these flashfowards, people coming to the island with helicopters, and the new fast pace of the show, LOST is NOT wrapping up which is GREAT! there are still three more seasons to go including this one that just began.

Ben's lying, Juliet's lying.

Danielle: "There's no such thing as monsters."

Danielle's telling the truth.

The fact Ben told Locke he doesn't know what the monster in the jungle is either tells me the writers still don't have a clue as to what it is either. Also I was surprised it was brought up after all this time as it got pushed to background when the Others arrived. Granted it killed Mr. Eko but still it's not a thing we all tend to ponder about anymore.


Hate to say it but i agree. I don't have faith in the writers to provide satisfactory answers to the smoke monster or any number of the mysteries they gave created. Still love the show but am not watching for any big payoff, there won't be one that will satisfy viewers.

Ben's lying, Juliet's lying.

Danielle: "There's no such thing as monsters."

Danielle's telling the truth.Then what killed Eko? A figment of his imagination?And no I am not being sarcastic there, just asking an honest question. Oh and may I also add Danielle is a bit unstable. . .

Personally I expect the smoke doggie will turn out to be a nano-tech-***-bio techology that went a bit funny in the head. See Michael Crichton's "Prey" for the model.

TPTB have shot that specific theory down and thats still what i think it is. but like someone already said, we wont find out till the end of Lost what it is.

im pretty sure its if not the same, something extremely similar to the nanobot technology in Prey and they are throwing us off in podcasts cause we got it right

I think the ghost whisperer is there to talk to the islands dead. I think Jacob and Smokey are not undead, but some manifestations of something.
I also get the feeling like these episodes are vomitting up chunks of plot, and I think it is to get us back to the real world for the last 2 seasons.

The writers know what the monster is, but they have said specifically that it will not be revealed until toward the very end of the show. It's one of the main mysteries of Lost, after all.

Please, the writers don't know? Really? The writers know, the CHARACTERS don't. Or the characters only portion out what they know. Remember that writers treat characters like real people, and real people don't show their entire hand all at once. Give the writers the credit they deserve for their skill on the page and their very active imaginations.

I'm worried that they are just going to make it a ghost of some kind and Jacob is a ghost. The ghostbusting character has me worried about the show, that they are going to use the "unexplained supernatural" card for some of the aspects of the show. That would be a real bummer. It would be a non-answer.

ITA! Ghost=:mad:
100%
Ben's lying, Juliet's lying.

Danielle: "There's no such thing as monsters."

Danielle's telling the truth.

Ahhhh so LOST is playing Two Lies and Truth instead of two truths and Lie... <smacks head> ;) Maybe Kate and Sawyer should try that one instead of I Never.

I think the writers have to know. That they decide not to have Ben spill the beans right then and there isn't proof for anything. I mean, why would Ben tell Locke what the monster is, even if he knew? The more information he has that Locke wants, the better his position in bargaining for his life.
Besides, I think there's no way the writers don't have a plan about one of the basic mysteries of the show. The monster was introduced in season 1, they can't have made all that up as they went along. I jsut don't see them sitting in an office, saying "Oh, how about we make the monster a huge cloud of black smoke and see where we go from there?" I just don't.
They know it, they just refuse to tell it when we're still three seasons away from the conclusoin of the story.

I have to agree with RodimusBen and the others that said the writer's DO know. Of course they know what the smoke monster is, it's one of the most puzzling questions yet to be answered on Lost.

The episode last night was full of information, almost information overload, I would have been truly shocked if the answer to the 'smoke monster' had been revealed. It's still a bit to early in the whole scheme of things for that type of announcement.

I think there's some overreacting going on to the 'ghosts' idea. I suspect the ghosts will be important to the new characters' mission, but I don't think they're going to be central to the island mythology.

I was wondering if it's the monster from the ID, like in Forbidden Planet, and it comes
from Ben's mind and is sent out to wreck havoc, maybe something like that.:confused:

Please, the writers don't know? Really? The writers know, the CHARACTERS don't. Or the characters only portion out what they know. Remember that writers treat characters like real people, and real people don't show their entire hand all at once. Give the writers the credit they deserve for their skill on the page and their very active imaginations.

The writers do indeed deserve a tremendous amount of credit. The flashbacks, the flash forwards, creating a tv show which gets people talking about things like fate and free will, the characters....all great stuff. However, I think like most extremely intelligent, creative people they suffer from the infliction of not being half as intelligent or clever as they think they are. I think that they fell into Walkabout syndrome, the need to constantly surprise and shock the audience with something they never saw coming. This lead them to throw a bunch of stuff out and, at the time, noone was stopping to think how it would plausibly be explained later From the four toed statue to the polar bears and so on, I don't think a great amswer is coming ...if I'm wrong, i'll be extremely but very pleasantly surprised.

Let's give credit where credit is due but let's also remember that Carlton and Damon are not deities, they're human just like the rest of us and I don't see any way out of this for them. Either they give very simple answers which will definitely alienate the hard core fan base that's busy talking about things like hollow earth theory et al. or they give very involved answers that leave more casual viewers sighing a collective "oh puh-leaze".

Maybe that's why Damon and Carlton are always trying to tells us the show is about the characters not the mysteries because they know if you. invest in the mysteries and not the characters you're likely to be disappointed.

i thought the question and response was kind of funny because you could also refer it to the movie Cloverfield. "What is the monster? I dont know." Works for both.

The thing I thought was weird about Locke's question to Ben about the monster was that he asked it at all. Didn't it just seem to come out of nowhere and was completely non-relevant to the episode? Here we've got a whole episode about the freighter people, lots of new characters, new questions, new flashbacks, and wham - Locke asks about the smoke monster that we haven't even seen since way back when Juliet and Kate were together.

I'm guessing there's a reason why they've brought it to the forefront, and I'm sure the writers know exactly what the monster is at this point.

I got the feeling they put that scene in just to give the show a more natural feel. These people have gone through so much and yet never seem to have the curiosity that should be evident for "normal" people. I know I would have been asking alot more questions than they have so far.

I think Locke and Ben were both playing mind games. Locke was never really going to shoot Ben -- he just wanted to scare him for information. At the same time, Ben knew he didn't need to reveal anything about the Smoke Monster, because he had information that Locke wants anyway (who the Freighter people are).

The writers aren't without a sense of humor. I think Locke's question about the Black Smoke Monster was kind of a send up to that. It was a nod to the fact that we all want to know and that they're just not going to give it to us yet. The characters often reflect the ideas of the viewers -- like when Sawyer asks, "Who are you?" to Nikki and Paulo. We're just going to have to wait... but I'm sure that Ben has at least some idea of what Smokey is.

Just because Ben didn't know what it is doesn't mean that the writers don't have a plan for revealing it to us. That is one of the biggies as far as unanswered questions go. I don't expect to find out what the smoke is until the last season.

Whenever Darlton are asked why the characters never ask the Others for useful information, they always give the same reply: Because the Ohters wouldn't answer them anyway.

This is just an onscreen example of that....

I'm extremely confident that the writers know exactly what the smoke monster is. Proof for me? Well, in the pilot episode the sound effects of the monster (the semi-mechanical aspect) match the sound effect that we have seen every other time the monster is shown. If they had no idea, then I suspect the original sound effect may have been more organic, like a dinosaur, then changed to the mechanical sound later on when they actually showed the smoke. I like how every episode that has the monster we learn a little bit more about it or see it do something different. I believe it will be one of the last mysteries resolved, since it was basically the first one shown. Plus, I bet it ties together a lot of the islands mysteries. Maybe the whispers, Jacob, and monster answers are all intertwined.

The fact Ben told Locke he doesn't know what the monster in the jungle is either tells me the writers still don't have a clue as to what it is either. Also I was surprised it was brought up after all this time as it got pushed to background when the Others arrived. Granted it killed Mr. Eko but still it's not a thing we all tend to ponder about anymore.How does it tell you that the writers don't know what it is? How, exactly? I'd really love it if people stopped jumping to the conclusion that simply because the method of the revealing of mystery is slow paced and involved, this automatically means that they're "making it up as they go alone". There are many criticisms about Lost but that would never be one that I'd bother thinking on. People are assuming that they the explanation of the Monster is going to be technical/scientific in its delivery.
It's perfectly capable to understand what the Monster is without understanding exactly what it is, ya dig? David Lynch didn't explain what the Black/White Lodge was either in beat for beat scientific terms but it was still "explained". The producers/writers of this show should not start to pander to this portion of the audience, seeing as up until this point they have remained entirely credible in the speed and degree to which they provide clues and reveals. Seriously, what did you want? Did you want Ben to sit the audience down and reveal the specifics over tea?

Well, at the risk of repeating myself, there is a specific interview in which Damon and Carlton address this question. It came shortly after a deal was reached for three more seasons and people were starting to ask if more answers would be coming since the series is over halfway over.

Specifically they were asked about the smoke monster, and they answered that they will not reveal what it is until the last few episodes of the series, because it is a crucial mystery to the show.

I wish I could pinpoint the interview but it's one of many I read on DarkUFO.

The thing I thought was weird about Locke's question to Ben about the monster was that he asked it at all. Didn't it just seem to come out of nowhere and was completely non-relevant to the episode? Here we've got a whole episode about the freighter people, lots of new characters, new questions, new flashbacks, and wham - Locke asks about the smoke monster that we haven't even seen since way back when Juliet and Kate were together.

I agree. Ben looked taken aback too as if the smoke monster was the very last thing on his mind (which I'm sure it was). He expected questions about what was happen now with the new people.

Damon and Carlton said there was contest on Yahoo (I think) where people sent in their ideas about what the monster was and one of them was almost correct. Since the person didn't know the new plot lines they couldn't get it exactly right but it was close. Wish I could find that discussion.

I'm extremely confident that the writers know exactly what the smoke monster is. Proof for me? Well, in the pilot episode the sound effects of the monster (the semi-mechanical aspect) match the sound effect that we have seen every other time the monster is shown. If they had no idea, then I suspect the original sound effect may have been more organic, like a dinosaur, then changed to the mechanical sound later on when they actually showed the smoke. I like how every episode that has the monster we learn a little bit more about it or see it do something different. I believe it will be one of the last mysteries resolved, since it was basically the first one shown. Plus, I bet it ties together a lot of the islands mysteries. Maybe the whispers, Jacob, and monster answers are all intertwined.

Re. your last sentence - as I recall, it seemed to me that when Hurley first saw The (Haunted) Cabin, they played a sound effect very much like that for the Smoke Monster, only more subtle/subdued. So I'm inclined to agree that at the very least the Smoke Monster and Haunted Cabin (and thereby Jacob) are related, especially now that we see that the Cabin isn't in a fixed location (Hurley ran away from it and it was in front of him [and behind him]).
100%
I think Locke and Ben were both playing mind games. Locke was never really going to shoot Ben -- he just wanted to scare him for information. At the same time, Ben knew he didn't need to reveal anything about the Smoke Monster, because he had information that Locke wants anyway (who the Freighter people are).

I don't know - I think he'd about "had it" with Ben at that time and he wasn't "bluffing" about shooting him.

The writers aren't without a sense of humor. I think Locke's question about the Black Smoke Monster was kind of a send up to that. It was a nod to the fact that we all want to know and that they're just not going to give it to us yet. The characters often reflect the ideas of the viewers -- like when Sawyer asks, "Who are you?" to Nikki and Paulo. We're just going to have to wait... but I'm sure that Ben has at least some idea of what Smokey is.I'm "with you there" - I think that was supposed to be somewhat humorous. Like you said - we're all wanting answers, and Locke asks the one question that the viewers have been lead to believe (by Juliet's response to Kate that they don't know what it is) Ben doesn't know the answer to!

That same episode had what I thought was another humorous "wink-wink" to the viewers. Myself and I'm sure many other viewers have complained that we were told way back in the beginning of the show that everything that happens could be explained scientifically. With that in mind I can't tell you how many times because of that statement I've said to myself - "Bull Shit"! So I'm guessing it's for viewers like myself that the writers put in that little scene of the helicopter pilot climbing the hill and seeing the Bull! :biggrin:

I think Locke and Ben were both playing mind games. Locke was never really going to shoot Ben -- he just wanted to scare him for information. At the same time, Ben knew he didn't need to reveal anything about the Smoke Monster, because he had information that Locke wants anyway (who the Freighter people are).

The writers aren't without a sense of humor. I think Locke's question about the Black Smoke Monster was kind of a send up to that. It was a nod to the fact that we all want to know and that they're just not going to give it to us yet. The characters often reflect the ideas of the viewers -- like when Sawyer asks, "Who are you?" to Nikki and Paulo. We're just going to have to wait... but I'm sure that Ben has at least some idea of what Smokey is.

You've got it in one my friend :)

Me and A actually laughed when Locke asked Ben that. It was humour from the makers of the show, but let's remember, very little time has passed for Locke and those on the island since the Smoke Monster killed their friend Mr Eko, dragged Locke to holes in the ground, etc.

I actually think Locke WOULD want to know what the monster is more than anything, actually. Look at his experiences with it:

I think I am right in saying that early in the Season 1, it was Smoky he was looking at and smiled and looked delighted, then told everyone he had "looked into the heart/eye? of this Island, and it was beautiful"?(sorry, something like that)

So, initially, he liked Smoky.

Then, it tried to drag him into the ground, he sort of wanted it to, but was shaken up by it, t

then he has reason to believe that Smoky killed Eko.

He initially thought Smoky/the Island was beautiful, then not so sure, now knows it is killing people....and not so long ago in Lost-Time, but, of course, nearly 3 years since we, the viewers, saw Smoky first. ;)

Anyway, Smoky is The Smoky God. ;) ClICK!!! http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Smoky-God.html

The fact Ben told Locke he doesn't know what the monster in the jungle is either tells me the writers still don't have a clue as to what it is either. Also I was surprised it was brought up after all this time as it got pushed to background when the Others arrived. Granted it killed Mr. Eko but still it's not a thing we all tend to ponder about anymore.

I disagree. The writers most certainly do know everything about the show.

In fact I have concluded that smokey is in fact KARMA INCARNATE! Judgement.

I disagree. The writers most certainly do know everything about the show.

In fact I have concluded that smokey is in fact KARMA INCARNATE! Judgement.

Oh God, I hope not! That would be as lame as the dustbusting ghost hustler.

Oh God, I hope not! That would be as lame as the dustbusting ghost hustler.

At this point, I'm not sure that any answer would really be satisfying. We've had over 3 years to speculate about smokie's nature and so many theories have been offered and so far none of them would really satisfy me. I hope the writers can pull something completely orgininal, shocking, suprising and satisfying out of the bag, but if it turns out to be a spirit, an ID manifestation, a dharma experiment gone awry, karma, an alien etc then I will be a little let down.

I suppose this is the problem with 3 year old mysteries, can the reveal ever live up to the hype?

Just out of curiosity -- WHY would karma incarnate be a disappointment?

An entity that has the capability to scan a person's soul and grant them what they deserve doesn't seem too disappointing to me. In fact it could still very well be a result of the Dharma Initiative's work.

Just out of curiosity -- WHY would karma incarnate be a disappointment?

An entity that has the capability to scan a person's soul and grant them what they deserve doesn't seem too disappointing to me. In fact it could still very well be a result of the Dharma Initiative's work.

It's not so much the intrinsic nature of the idea itself, rather the fact that it's already been speculated on, so the reveal won't have the same impact as something totally unexpected.

It's not so much the intrinsic nature of the idea itself, rather the fact that it's already been speculated on, so the reveal won't have the same impact as something totally unexpected.

Yeah I can understand that BUT everything has been speculated on from a God to nanobots so I think if smokey ever is revealed people will just be "So it was such and such after all . . ."

Understood though.

Yeah I can understand that BUT everything has been speculated on from a God to nanobots so I think if smokey ever is revealed people will just be "So it was such and such after all . . ."

I'm just pleased to know that we'll get an answer, I always feared the "they never said it wasn't..." scenario.

I'm just pleased to know that we'll get an answer, I always feared the "they never said it wasn't..." scenario.

I think they have to snawer this mystery before the end even if it comes in the final episode. The producers empathize with the fans. :)

I'm just pleased to know that we'll get an answer, I always feared the "they never said it wasn't..." scenario.

Overheard in the recent writer's strike negotiations:

"Give us more money or we won't reveal what the smoke monster is."

The writers know. At least Damon and Carlton know. And they've specifically it won't be revealed until the very end.

Back in season 1 there was a theory that the monster was a bird, I feel like being weird and saying I still believe it is. Obviously, we know it's not, but by the same token we have no idea what it is, so why not?

Well I'll believe the writers know what the monster is when they actually give us the answer until then I stick by what I said in my original post.

I think Locke and Ben were both playing mind games. Locke was never really going to shoot Ben -- he just wanted to scare him for information. At the same time, Ben knew he didn't need to reveal anything about the Smoke Monster, because he had information that Locke wants anyway (who the Freighter people are).

The writers aren't without a sense of humor. I think Locke's question about the Black Smoke Monster was kind of a send up to that. It was a nod to the fact that we all want to know and that they're just not going to give it to us yet. The characters often reflect the ideas of the viewers -- like when Sawyer asks, "Who are you?" to Nikki and Paulo. We're just going to have to wait... but I'm sure that Ben has at least some idea of what Smokey is.

Very nice first post, Linus4Prez! I agree, I see the exchange between Locke and Ben as a little shoutout to all us impatient fans who'd like some answers, and wonder why nobody ever asks any questions when they've got the chance! Locke finally has a gun to Ben's head, and asks one of the questions that everyone's been wondering about. But, surprise of surprises, Ben doesn't answer! They love to tease, don't they?

I would be extremely surprised if the writers didnt know what smokey is. I mean, they invented it. lol



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