Last week Ben looked out of it. Then Locke tells him where going to move the island. This week we see that look in Ben's eyes. He's got a plan again. So who is really in control? Ben or Locke?

Ben is in control, and Ben has *always* been in control.

It's hard to argue that Ben always has a plan.

Obviously Ben :)

Ben sees possible redemption in the moving of the Island. I expect that he thinks he might be chosen once again to help Jacob/Island. If they do slip into a parallel dimension fate could be kinder to him.

Locke getting Hurley to continue to join them is nothing compared to Ben getting Locke to enter the cabin by himself. Now that I look back on those scenes, I have come to realize that all that was a ruse. Ben was in control the entire time.

Ben is da man on the Island. And Ben is always pulling the strings.

Yup - Ben is in control - has always been in control. Locke was played the patsy once again.

So Jacob refused to talk to Ben. Ben knew who he was talking to, knew that by acting defeatist, he could get Locke to reveal Jacob's will. He also knew that Locke had no idea where to go or how to move the island.

Ben's got his mojo back and is taking obvious control back as well.

well yeah-
locke finds out he has to 'move the island'
but he has no idea how, but of course ben does-
so locke is merely a messenger (translator) for ben getting his info

did we ever really think that ben had lost control?

Does a polar bear :censored: in the jungle?

Ben hasn't been in control since he shot Locke in season 3

Ben hasn't been in control since he shot Locke in season 3

I'm afraid I partially agree. Ben acknowledged that his time had passed. He tried to control Jacob and that didn't work. He tried to kill Locke and that didn't work. His predecessor (who made the decision for the Purge) had to pass on his leadership to Ben and now Ben has to pass on his leadership to Locke. All of the Others knew Ben's time was over when he developed the tumor-it was a sign he couldn't hide. But the island made sure it gave him something fixable just like the island made sure it gave Jack something fixable (in this case something simple Juliet was able to handle.) Now I think Ben is content to leave Locke on the island so he is free to travel through time and space to dedicate himself to getting even at Widmore. There is no one holding him to the island anymore with Alex dead. I bet Ben is laughing that Richard is about to get what he wanted and find out he doesn't want it. Locke is no Ben and there has to be some reason Richard time traveled to test little Locke.

Ben's time as island guardian has passed but that doesn't mean Ben is not in charge to some extent. If he gets back to the island, he will manipulate Locke to everyone's benefit because he is just smarter than Locke.

Locke doesn't speak to Jacob; he speaks to Christian. If Jacob's cabin was only built 15 years ago, who did Ben's predecessor speak to because Jacob's cabin wasn't there yet?

Ben hasn't been in control, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been trying to desperately cling to straws to salvage his control ever since. Ben is a petty person, and if he can ever hold information over someone's head, he will. That's how he has manipulated Locke since the beginning, and he is still doing it now, AFTER having admitted that his time was over and it was Locke's turn to be Jacob's favorite son.

Thing is, I think that for all his pettiness, Ben really does love the Island, so when the situation gets desperate, he will put his knowledge to work to save it. When Locke told him that Jacob wanted them to move the Island, Ben knew exactly what that meant they had to do. He'll do what it takes to make that happen, but he's not above rubbing in John's face that he still knows more about the Island than John does.