Watch Ep 320's Secret Clue on Video

Episode 320 - "The Man Behind The Curtain" Secret Clue

Welcome back to the Lost Secret Clue, where we dig deeper to find the clues and secrets you might've missed to fuel your theories! This week's episode, 'The Man Behind The Curtain', gave us so many clues, hints, answers and mysteries, it was practically bursting at the seems. From mass murders to mysterious visits in the night, a new orientation video and an oddly un-aging Richard Alpert, this Ben-centric episode had it all.

Flashing back with Ben Linus, we learnt that his lies go back a very long time, possibly as far back as 1965, judging by the cars. Contrary to what he'd told Jack, Ben was not born on the island, but rather in bushland 32 miles outside of Portland. His birth unfortunately cost his mother her life, something that his father Roger would never forgive him for, and quite possibly has led to his obsession with successful pregnancies on the island.

As Ben arrived on the island, we were treated to an amazing amount of cool clues. Horace Goodspeed, the man who'd invited Roger to join Dharma, wore a jumpsuit marking him as a mathematician operating out of the Arrow hatch. Several of the blue VW's were spied parked out of the way, and young Annie offered Ben an Apollo bar. An Island orientation video was also shown, hosted by Dr Marvin Candle, which covered a ton of interesting topics, including the fence and its purpose, the ferry and the Hydra station:

"Welcome to the island. For your own comfort and safety, we ask that you stay within the confines of your new living quarters. Our barracks are surrounded by a high frequency sonar fence to protect us from the island's abundant and diverse wildlife. You are now a member of the Dharma Initiative. Every morning, you will be given a new code that will allow you to cross outside the fences if you so desire. There are properties on this island that exist nowhere else on earth. Our mission is to study these properties for the betterment of mankind and advancement of world peace. Most of you will be working on the mainland. Should you be assigned to zoological study, our ferry will carry you to and from the site three times a day. Here at the barracks enjoy all the comforts and amenities of a modern suburban lifestyle..."

Several other quick moments of interest take place during Ben's flashback, as we learn about the island with him. We get confirmation that there is definitely a volcano on the island, learn that the Hostiles seem to attack quite regularly and - if you listen really closely - it appears Mikhail was indeed originally Dharma, as someone calls for his help during the attack. The most interesting part, though, is easily when Ben runs away from home. Using the code and his trusty white rabbit as a guinea pig, he deactivates the fence and runs through, hoping to find his mother again.

Instead, he runs into Richard Alpert, looking exactly as he does today, except he appears to be dressed as a pirate. Richard manages to gain Ben's trust, and begins asking why he is out in the jungle alone. After hearing Ben’s reason he tells Ben that, in order to join "the Hostiles", he'll need to be very patient, a quality trait we now know Ben has in droves... Richard appeared quite shocked, noticeably realizing the potential in the young boy, not unlike the Others have Locke...

It would appear that Ben and Richard kept contact over the years, uniting to wipe Dharma clear off the face of the planet. After killing his father, Ben returns to the Barracks where he finally takes his place among the Hostiles. Strangely, the only person Ben shows any respect to is Horace, closing his eyes in a rather reverential manner. More noticeable is the fact that, while Ben has aged possibly 20 years, Richard looks exactly the same. Further enforcing the fact that something is up with Richard's aging is Ben's snide comment in the present asking Richard, "You do remember birthdays, don't you Richard?"

The driving force of the present-tense story was Ben and Locke's journey to visit the mysterious Jacob, and nothing could've prepared us for the mind-bending conclusion that was to follow. Approaching the shack Ben had led them to, Locke noticed a trail of what appears to be ash, but Ben calls him and he moves on. What is the purpose of the ash - is it keeping something out, or keeping someone in? Could Jacob be the smoke monster?

Jacob himself was one of the most confusing scenes the show has ever produced. The scene played out as if Ben was completely crazy, talking to himself and therefore making him "the man behind the curtain", but Jacob showed himself briefly while throwing Ben against a wall for upsetting him. We heard but two words from the man - "Help Me" - but his presence was unmistakeable, pause button or not.

It was the implications of visiting, and more importantly hearing Jacob that led Ben to shoot Locke and leave him for dead. After years of unchallenged rulership over the Others, they are now looking to another as their potential saviour, something Ben tried to undermine last week by humiliating Locke. With Jacob taking a shine to the new golden child and asking for his help, is it really any surprise that Ben felt threatened and decided to protect his empire? This leaves us with one question, though; If Jacob wants Locke's help, does it mean Ben has him locked in that shack against his will?