Television Review: Dead Is Dead (Lost, S5X12, 2009)

Dead Is Dead (S5X12)

Airdate: 8 April 2009

Written by: Brian K. Vaughan & Elisabeth Sarnoff
Directed by: Stephen Williams

Running Time: 42 minutes

The television series Lost is renowned for its intricate narrative architecture, utilising a mystery box structure that advanced the plot in a sometimes frustrating, yet ultimately effective manner. This approach was bolstered by its fascinating characters, though often episodes emphasised one aspect at the expense of the other. Episodes featuring great plot twists simultaneously with major character reveals or exposition were relatively rare throughout the series' run. However, one such example can be found in the fifth season episode Dead Is Dead. This episode stands out for efficiently balancing these elements, delivering a narrative that is as emotionally resonant as it is plot-driven.

The title of the episode refers directly to its main theme: Ben Linus’ confrontation with the true nature and consequences of his questionable deeds. This internal conflict is sparked by him being awoken on Hydra Island and discovering John Locke—the man he had murdered—hovering over him and welcoming him to “the land of the living”. This encounter serves as the catalyst for Ben’s journey, forcing him to face the repercussions of his actions in a way he never anticipated.

Written by Brian K. Vaughan and Elizabeth Sarnoff, the episode deals heavily with the motif of resurrection, suggesting it has something to do with the miraculous healing properties of the Island. This is something teenage Ben experienced himself in 1977. Brought to the Others camp after being mortally wounded by Sayid, young Ben was taken by Richard Alpert in the Temple, much against the will of forty-year-old Charles Widmore (David S. Lee), the leader of the Others. Years later, there is great tension and enmity between Widmore and Ben, starting in 1988 when Ben refuses Widmore’s order to kill Alex, Danielle Rousseau’s newborn daughter, and instead brings her to the Others’ camp. Later, Ben orchestrates Widmore’s ouster and exile from the Island over his having children outside the Island, which is apparently against the rules. In 2007, shortly before his return to the Island, Ben attempts to avenge his daughter Alex by killing Widmore’s daughter Penny, but has second thoughts after seeing Penny with young son Charlie. As a result, he suffers another of many rounds of vicious beating, this time at the hands of Desmond, who somehow survived being shot by Ben in the chest.

At the Hydra Island, Ben, experiencing a whole lot of things, seems at first non-phased by Locke’s resurrection. However, he later admits that this phenomenon is beyond anything the Island had done before. He also admits that he broke the rules and that he would have to go to the main Island to face judgement by “the Monster”. Locke agrees to accompany him, but their trip is temporarily stopped by Caesar, who had taken over Ajira 316 survivors as their leader and wants to keep the boat. Ben reacts by shooting Caesar in cold blood and then continuing the trip. They arrive back at the Barracks where they find Sun and Frank Lapidus. Frank decides to return to Hydra, where he is immediately taken captive by Ilana, whose associates have taken hold of guns and established themselves as leaders of the survivors’ group.

Ben decides to summon the Monster, but the actual encounter has to occur in the Temple. Locke leads Ben through the hole in the earth. Ben is left alone, and first surrounded by black smoke that shows moments of his life, including Keamy’s killing of Alex. Ben, heartbroken, admits that he is sorry. Then an apparition of Alex appears, and warns him that she knows about his plans to try killing Locke again, and threatens that she will destroy him if he tries to do it. When encountered by Locke again, Ben admits that the Monster let him live.

In terms of original viewership ratings, Dead Is Dead was the least watched of all episodes of Lost. Yet, at the same time, it was generally well-regarded by critics and even some fans. Much of the critics’ praise is well-deserved; the flashbacks regarding Ben are functional and they explain a lot of character and plot background. The main story, focused on Ben and Locke, is relatively well-intertwined with the storyline dealing with the Ajira 316 survivors, which are experiencing their own mystery and power struggle.

The character of Caesar, who was one of the more promising Season 5 new arrivals, is unceremoniously dispatched. This is, like with many such cases on broadcast television, a result of French actor Saïd Taghmaoui simply becoming unavailable.

However, the character of Ben, however, goes through something resembling redemption. The series has portrayed him as a sociopathic manipulative villain, yet it also showed that the life hadn’t been kind to him – losing his mother, growing up with an alcoholic father, being shot at a young age, and, later, being beaten and tortured. The episode here switches the power dynamics, and instead of a helpless, clueless and manipulated Locke, it is Ben here who must be a follower instead of the leader. Even more importantly, Ben shows bits of humanity – his anguish over Alex is genuine and the children are his soft spot. He refuses to kill baby Alex and also refuses to kill Penny in front of her own child.

If there were flaws with the episode, it might be found in two different actors – David S. Lee and Alan Dale - playing the character of Charles Widmore in flashbacks, which could be slightly confusing for less careful viewers. Despite this minor inconsistency, the episode remains a high point of the series. Dead Is Dead succeeds where many other episodes of the show struggled, managing to deliver a satisfying narrative conclusion to a complex character arc while maintaining the show’s signature mystery. The episode should be praised for showing the showrunners’ ability to weave character development into the overarching plot, ensuring that even in a season marked by confusion and high stakes, the emotional core of the story remained intact.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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