'Lost' follows up last weeks action packed episode with a healthy dose of redemption

This review may contain spoilers.

I dont know how it happened, but somehow Ben (Michael Emerson) has become one of my favorite characters on Lost. His ambiguous morals, murderous nature, and insatiable lust for power make him, by all accounts, one creepy dude.

But somewhere on the path to redemption, he has become the one character whose presence, even when hes not on screen, dominates an episode. Such is the case with Dr. Linus, which when it is all said and done, will probably rank as one of the strongest episodes of the series.

On the island, Iliana (Zuleikha Robinson) forces Ben to dig his own grave. While doing so , The Smoke Monster Now in the Guise of John Locke (Terry OQuinn) pays him a visit, providing him details of an escape plan and offering him a small position of power in his camp. It is a classic case of temptation, with Locke playing the role of Satan, and Ben succumbs, but only briefly.

During his confrontation with Iliana, Ben says that he is going over to the dark side (Lockes camp) because nobody will have him. In a beautiful and pivotal scene, Iliana says that she would take him. Just like that, Ben is offered a shot at redemption. It came suddenly and sincerely, from a person who moment earlier wanted him dead. In one moment, Iliana takes on the Christ-like role of being a redeemer. If it wasnt clear that there are two camps, one good and one evil, it became very clear in this episode.

In the new timeline, Ben comes face to face with Alex (Tonia Raymonde), the adopted daughter he allowed to die back on the island. This time she is his student, and he has taken an interest in her. She has aspirations to go to Yale, but there is only so much help Ben can give. She needs the recommendation of the principal, a Yale graduate. Ultimately, based on a tip from Alex, Ben plans the downfall of the principal, but backs off when he threatens to torch Alexs future.

And, in both realities, Ben makes the right choice: to forego power to take the righteous path. Its a tough decision and a tough sell given Bens history, but Emerson is such an incredibly gifted actor, he could make a viewer believe just about anything. Based on this episode alone, another Emmy should be waiting for him. A person has to hit rock bottom before being redeemed, and it is harder to go much lower than Ben has gone.

What Worked

In my review of The Substitute, I commented that the only way it could have been better was if Arzt (Daniel Roebuck) worked at the same school. Well, this week, it is revealed that he does. It was way too logical not to happen. And on the island, Hurley even mentions Arzt when they encounter the same case of dynamite that led to the science teachers original demise.

Once again, the title conveys a few layers of meaning. For years, the character has been called Ben. The emphasis on Dr. Linus implies the emergence of a new character, and of course, a redeemed Ben becomes a very intriguing figure. Also, even though Dr. Linus is a Ph.D., not an M.D., the title of Doctor , for most people, implies healing and restoration, which of course what happens to been in the new timeline.

The religious parallels are incredible this year. Many of the theories over the years have circulated that the island could be Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. The religious motifs are numerous; from Locke playing the role of the devil to Richard Alpert (Nestor Carbonell) have eternal life, the symbolism is only intensifying as the series draws to a close.

A touching reunion takes place on the island at the end, of which Ben is left out, while Widmore (Alan Dale) is on his way back to the island, via submarine. It reinforces the notion that happy moments on the island a few, far between, and brief.

What Didnt Work

Its only a minor complaint, but Bens scheming to ascend to principal just didnt play out that logically. The school setting and the contrived storyline to oust the principal was a bit weak and clichéd. I understand that the whole point was to show that wherever Ben ended up, he would crave power and be ruthless in obtaining it. In that regard, that storyline did accomplish its goal.

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

Dr. Linus was written by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. It was directed by Mario Van Peebles. Lost stars Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Terry OQuinn, Josh Holloway, Jorge Garcia, and Michael Emerson.

Lost airs Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. on ABC.