DR. LINUS

Or, Alex Rousseau and the High School Redemption

In L.A., Linus is teaching history, and butting heads with the principal, who is played by William Atherton (of Die Hard and Ghostbusters fame; "Yes ,it's true, this man has no dick."). Ben tutors Alex and Locke agitates, trying to talk Ben into stealing the principal's job. Arzt is there too and he's the same old whiny putz he's always been. Ben finds out the principal and the school nurse have been boning. On school grounds. So Ben attempts to blackmail the principal into resigning and recommending him as his replacement. But the principal counters that he'll ruin Alex's future and keep her out of Yale if Ben takes his job. Ben has to choose between Alex's future and his lust for power. Surprisingly, Ben does right by Alex and the principal writes her a glowing recommendation for Yale. On the island Ilana asks Miles how Jacob died. Miles narcs out Ben. Ilana is not happy, calling Jacob the closest thing she ever had to a father (because, after all, this is Daddy Issues Island). Ilana, Miles, Lupidus, Sun and Ben all head back to the beach, for lack of anywhere else better to go. Elsewhere, Jack and Hurley head through the jungle toward the Temple. Hurley tries to lead Jack away from the Temple, which annoys him. Then Alpert shows up and tells them everyone at the Temple is dead. Hurley says he knew already because Jacob warned him. Then Alpert tells him not to believe anything Jacob tells him and leads them to the Black Rock. He looks plaintively at the chains in the slave ship and comments he's not been here in a very long time. He asks Jack to kill him. Because his entire life has been without purpose if Jacob is dead. Jack lights some dynamite and Hurley says fuck this and runs away. Jack doesn't leave, he sits next to Alpert saying neither of them are meant to die. The fuse runs down and sputters out just before it hits the dynamite. "See?" Jack and Hurley and Alpert head back to the beach. Everyone is reunited and they hug and smile and are joyous. Except Ben. He just stands on the side and realizes, seemingly, that he is completely alone. Alone and powerless. Ilana ties up Ben and tells him to start digging a grave for himself. He does, but takes his time. Miles brings him lunch and Ben offers to give him that 3.2 million dollars he asked for if he helps him escape. Miles says he doesn't need it, since he knows about Nikki and Paulo's diamonds. Later, Smokemonster Locke shows up and unties Ben and tells him there is a gun not too far away. He invites Ben to join him at the Hydra. Ben runs away and Ilana follows him. He gets the jump on her and makes her drop her weapon. She tells him to shoot her and get it over with. He says he doesn't want to shoot her, he just wants to explain. He tells her he let Alex die for the island, he gave everything in service to Jacob, and Jacob didn't give two fucks. So in his anger and confusion he stabbed Jacob to death. He asks her to just let him go. Where will you go, she asks. To Locke, he says. Why? "Because he's the only one who will have me." She pauses a moment and replies "I'll have you" and takes him back to camp. Wow. Offshore, a sub approaches. It's Widmore!