He didn't need him to find the cabin anymore - any ideas?

maybe for Hurley's on safety. He's not exactly a wilderness man.

Well, Locke didn't think he needed him anymore, this is true.

But keep in mind: even though Locke had the map and plotted the course, Hurley was still the first person to spot the cabin itself.

Maybe he really did want Hurley to have a choice. He is not Benjamin Linus. I think this whole episode was about choice.

You're making the same assumption that Ben did... that he was trying to manipulate Hurley into staying. Locke told him he wasn't, I think if Hurley had wanted to leave right then Locke would have actually let him. He had his map and he believed in it's validity as he told Ben that he was "told where it would be". Locke can be misguided and prone to manipulation, but I definitely think he was genuine with Hurley in that situation.

Yeah, I don't think Locke did manipulate Hurley. That was the point of the scene. If Ben had said that, it would have been to keep Hurley there, but Locke was actually trying to offer him a decision.

maybe for Hurley's on safety. He's not exactly a wilderness man.

Uh, actually Hurley is quite the "wilderness man" - back at the end of Season 2, he managed to get back to the beach camp, after being sent back as a "messenger" from the Others. He went into Rousseau's territory in Season 1 to retrieve the battery. Hurley goes off into the jungle all the time, as when he found the VW microbus. He moves safely, as well. To my knowledge he has never been menaced by or even heard Smokey, except at the very beginning of S1, when everyone heard horrific noises coming from the jungle.

Locke might have had concern for Hurley's safety (misplaced, IMO - Hurley is probably the safest person on The Island), but also, even though Locke had the map, Hurley had the "special" mojo to actually see the cabin. Because it's pretty apparent that the cabin is not something you can just find from a map - it has to "want" to be found.

Ben loops to get people to make the choices he wants them to make. Did Ben notice John performing his own loop?

Locke did not manipulate Hurley, I think he is beyond "game playing". He is on a spiritual quest.

he's the one who had the dream about horace. he knew he didn't need hurley anymore. i think it's human of hurley to say, heck no, I'm staying.

the funny thing is, when I saw hurley and ben hanging out, i'd be more afraid of ben killing me than anyone else. that man is not safe!
100%
he's the one who had the dream about horace. he knew he didn't need hurley anymore. i think it's human of hurley to say, heck no, I'm staying.

the funny thing is, when I saw hurley and ben hanging out, i'd be more afraid of ben killing me than anyone else. that man is not safe!

From a plot perspective, wider than Locke's motivations, I was also wondering why the writers chose to have Hurley be with Locke and Ben. I mean, they didn't exactly use him for anything (yet), except to ask them some questions and help with some story exposition. I guess that could be the reason? :shrug:

the funny thing is, when I saw hurley and ben hanging out, i'd be more afraid of ben killing me than anyone else. that man is not safe!


Normally, you're probably right.

But Ben was pretty much in shock all episode last night. I don't think he has any fight left in him right now.

(He gets it back, of course, but for now he doesn't care about anything except feeling empty and sorry for himself.)

Uh, actually Hurley is quite the "wilderness man" - back at the end of Season 2, he managed to get back to the beach camp, after being sent back as a "messenger" from the Others. He went into Rousseau's territory in Season 1 to retrieve the battery. Hurley goes off into the jungle all the time, as when he found the VW microbus. He moves safely, as well. To my knowledge he has never been menaced by or even heard Smokey, except at the very beginning of S1, when everyone heard horrific noises coming from the jungle.

Think you're looking into that too much. They just showed him getting back in season 2 because they had to move the plot forward quickly. And he's never been menaced by the smoke monster because he has no reason to be, also it might be an actor decision. As showing an incredibly fat man running away from the smoke monster isn't the greatest way to create tension, and if he ever did encounter it, it'd be hard for him to get away, being so slow. Don't you think?

I kind of think that Ben has come to terms that he isn't really in control anymore, and that he's pretty much one of the losties right now. I know that he can't be trusted, but I think that he's much easier to trust now than he ever has been before.

I'm with the camp that Locke wasn't manipulating Hurley. I think that whole scene was a set-up to show the difference between Locke and Linus. Ben would have manipulated Hurley into staying if need be; it also shows that Ben always seems to think the worst of people's motivations.

Whereas Locke doesn't want people to get hurt or be in situations if they don't want to beyond their initial need. He was through with Hurley so gave him the option of staying or going.

Locke has some issues but I don't think he purposely puts the Losties in danger.