Richard Alpert is working for Jacob’s Nemesis. Motive: Jacob made Richard his advisor, thus locking him into eternal struggle with the Nemesis. The Nemesis wants out of this eternal struggle and has convinced Richard to assist him. However, the Nemesis does not give Richard all the information of his plan, thus effectively keeping Richard in the dark and securing the Nemesis’ plans. Richard is therefore made all the more easier to control. In the grand chess game of the show, Jacob is the White King, the Nemesis is the Black King, with Richard as his Queen. Ben is only a pawn in their game.
Let’s look at the facts: Richard was the leader of the Others in 1954. Met with Locke, pretending not to know him (just as he assumed Locke would pretend not to know him when they “first” met in 2004). Locke gives Richard the compass, thus setting in motion the chain of events that will lead to Richard giving Locke the compass. The compass may be a sign from the Nemesis, who is using Locke as his pawn. Locke says he was sent by Jacob, perhaps another sign. Locke tells Richard to meet him in the future. Richard needs convincing that Locke is the Nemesis, however. When visiting Young Locke, he presents him with the compass and a vial of sand, which belong to the Nemesis. When Locke chooses the knife (a symbol of Jacob’s eventual murder weapon?) rather than the Book of Laws, Richard grows angry and leaves the room. Richard attempts one last time to draw Locke to the island by recruiting him through Mittelos, but this fails to interest Locke. The reason Richard later tells Jack in 1977 that he did not find Locke all that “special” is because he was expecting him to be the Others leader, whom the Nemesis likely told Richard would be the person they would recruit to kill Jacob. Jack tells Richard not to “give up on Locke.”
Three years earlier, in 1973, Ben sees his mother’s apparition, much like Eko saw Yemi’s, Ben saw Alex’s and Jack saw Christian’s. We now know that what they were seeing was an embodiment of the Nemesis, just like the Smoke Monster, who sometimes accompanied these sightings (particularly in the case of Eko and later Ben). Ben then meets up with Richard, who just happens to be around the same location that Ben’s mother is seen. Richard is quite interested that Ben has seen the ghost of someone who died of the island, for it shows the Nemesis’ progress; little does Richard know that someday the Nemesis will be appearing in the flesh of the dead. Richard is drawing Ben to their triumvirate with which they will destroy Jacob. The apparition tells Ben it was “not yet time,” and Richard tells him he needs “to be very patient.”
Back in 1977, Kate and Sawyer bring Richard the nearly lifeless body of Ben. Richard takes Ben to the Temple (the same location Ben would later encounter the Smoke Monster). Ben tells Sayid and Kate Ben will be “one of us,” meaning one of the “Others” or in cahoots with the Nemesis (meaning so, too are Sawyer and Kate?). Widmore finds out and yells at Richard that he should not have done that. Richard lies and says that it is what Jacob wants. How is Widmore to argue? No one is allowed to see Jacob except Richard, who is an “advisor.” The Nemesis is taking advantage of this position in that he can use Richard to speak on his own behalf, pretending to speak on the part of Jacob. This was the “right” time for Ben to be made part of the Nemesis’ game plan. Later, Faraday arrives at their camp. Richard knows Faraday is going to tell them about the bomb, that is what he was there for last time they met. Ellie shoots Faraday in the back, which visibly upsets Richard, for he knows what this will lead to. Ellie wants to help Jack and Sayid to stop herself from again killing her son. Richard cannot stop her, as she is the leader and that would raise suspicion, so he uses the excuse of her pregnancy to knock her out cold, hoping against hope that Jack and Sayid will not succeed.
Later, after the “incident,” Ben resists Jacob by keeping Alex rather than killing her. Richard does nothing to intercede. The Nemesis wants Ben as leader because he will be easy to control. His ejects Widmore from the island for breaking the “rules.” Widmore argues that if the island wants her dead, she’ll be dead, and Ben will be cast out. Ben is effectively made leader in Widmore’s absence. He has sold his right to leadership by lying to the Others, by saying he has spoken to Jacob when he has not and by saying he was born on the island when he was not. Richard could intercede but he does not. In fact, he tells Ben that Widmore’s sub is leaving, giving Ben a chance to gloat. Ben’s first major move, after Widmore leaves, is to destroy the Dharma Initiative, whom Jacob brought to the island (much like he brought the Black Rock years before; this also explains the connection between the Hanso of the Black Rock and the Hanso Foundation behind the Dharma Initiative).
Ben’s next major project, the “pregnancy issue,” with which he enlists Richard (and as Richard professes to Locke when they meet in 2004, there are “more important” matters they need to deal with – like killing Jacob, perhaps?), due to Ben’s own mother dying in child birth and the island’s refusal to allow successful procreation on the island. Which begs the question, were Daniel and Ethan conceived on the island? If not, then didn’t Eloise break the “rule”? Maybe this is why she is no longer on the island? Maybe Ben instituted the “rule” about getting pregnant off island, or maybe Jacob did. Perhaps the island’s populace must be brought from outside, by Jacob. (I note also that Jacob lives underneath a statue of Tawaret, an Egyptian goddess of fertility). By solving this problem, the Nemesis could find a loophole for stopping the island’s need for people and could put a stop to Jacob drawing those from the outside, whom the Nemesis professes to hate because of their failings. Then, the Nemesis could end their game and live in peace with the island-born selected few. The island reacts to Ben’s actions by giving him cancer (while it heals others of the same problem, namely Rose). Ben knows something is up: he has not heard from Jacob and he now has cancer. Perhaps he suspects Widmore and Eloise have also never spoken to Jacob? Or is it that discussion with Jacob always occurs through an intermediary, namely Richard?)
The Nemesis has found a highly effective agent in Ben, who is prone to violent, irrational behavior (as with Goodwin and Widmore). Furthermore, Ben asking Locke to kill his father is very similar to Locke asking Ben to kill Jacob. Perhaps Ben was the Nemesis’ first attempt to kill Jacob but then he realized that Jacob was on to Ben, which is why Ben never saw Jacob? Ben takes Locke to see Jacob at his cabin, or at least what he thinks is Jacob. It is clear later, that Ben is only pretending, that Jacob is not in the cabin, and never was, at least not for Ben. As Locke begins to leave, a voice says “help me.” This is the Nemesis’ voice. Ben does not hear this, it is meant for Locke only, to make Locke believe he is special and to make Ben feel left out (which the Nemesis can use to his advantage later). Ben is only a pawn, after all, who needs to know only his small part of the board, whereas Locke needs to see more of the board (more on this alter). The Nemesis does not want to be seen however, as evidenced by his reaction to John’s flashlight. Possibly this is because Ben or Locke would describe him to Richard and the Nemesis, as we will see, wants to keep him in the dark, too. When Locke tells Ben Jacob’s words “help me,” Ben is hurt because he believes he is helping Jacob. The truth is he is helping Jacob’s Nemesis.
Ricahrd is “concerned” about what happened to Locke because, though he is in the dark about all the Nemesis’ moves (seeing only part of the game and not the whole board), he understands Locke’s importance, beginning with Locke not remembering Ricahrd soon after Locke is first introduced to the Others. Richard quickly tells Locke that Ben wanted Locke to fail at killing his father because Ben wanted to look good in the eyes of his people, who are possibly beginning to question Ben’s motives (as in, what’s with this pregnancy thing, anyway, and why are we living in the Dharma village?). Richard knows Ben is an illegitimate leader, but must maintain the illusion in order to fool Jacob. Richard tells Locke that there are more important issues than fertility, meaning that Ben is pursuing a goal contrary to what Jacob wants. Perhaps he is giving Locke a hint that Ben is manipulable? Maybe Richard thinks Locke is playing dumb?
When the Others come under attack by the Freighter folk, Ben orders Richard to take the Others to the Temple, ostensibly the “last safe place on the island.” This is the same place Richard took Ben for his “transformation” which upset Widmore. Have the Others been transformed as well? Are they unknowingly in the pawns of the Nemesis? Ben cannot let the survivors leave the island (as he so passionately protests to Alex) because he fears they might fall under the control of Widmore, or Jacob himself, as Jacob contacts Sayid and Hugo, and Widmore with Sun (actually, she contacts him.) No, it is best for the Nemesis’ plan if the survivors remain on the island, where they are more easily manipulated, and under Smoky’s watchful eye. Ben was prepared to kill everyone rather than allow them to escape, as is evidenced by his rigging the Tempest station. The freighters want to stop Ben. Perhaps Jacob let Widmore know that he suspected Ben needed to be stopped? Maybe Jacob knows the Nemesis’ endgame? (Maybe this is why he appears to let it happen).
Harper’s appearance to Juliet is significant, more significant, I think, than anyone suspects as it, more than Richard and his mother’s ghost appearing close together, illustrates how far in cahoots Ben is with the Nemesis (though, again, he has no idea). The Nemesis wanted Ben to succeed in releasing the toxic gas at the Tempest, disposing of the freighters and survivors just as Ben disposed of the Dharma initiative. The Nemesis as Harper is pretending to act on behalf of Ben because the Nemesis is actually controlling Ben. As further proof of the collusion between Ben and the Nemesis (whom he believes is Jacob), look no further than the “Smoky Control Booth” accessed from Ben’s Dharma home, a booth Ben uses to bring forth the Smoke Monster to attack Keamy and his men. (As an aside, I think Horace Goodspeed, whose house this originally was, and who built the cabin, may also be working for the Nemesis, whether or not he knows it. He was there, after all, when Ben’s mother died, and he brought Ben’s father to the island. That his house has an expressway to Smokyville does not speak well of his intentions, either.)
Ben and Locke promptly go to visit “Jacob” in the Cabin. Hurley, who tellingly knows where the cabin “is” (and thus is quite useful to the real Jacob), leads them there, but first Locke meets Horace Goodspeed, then building the famed cabin. Is this the Nemesis? Probably. Goodspeed tells Locke where to look and they find a schematic in the pocket of his dead body. (I note that the ONLY time the Nemesis has appeared in an apparition form to someone who DID NOT KNOW THE PERSON WHO THE NEMESIS IS APPEARING is to John Locke. Significant? Probably. The two occasions are Goodspeed and Christian Shepard; both times helped to further Locke along his path toward killing Jacob; yes, even Christian Shepard. Shepard, after all, told him to move the island and to look up Eloise Hawking, two events which would have serious repercussions. Moving the island changes the game plan; sort of like moving the game pieces in such a way that undermines the game.
When Ben is eventually rescued by the Others, Ricahrd says “my pleasure,” in such a way that it is clearly NOT his pleasure. Ricahrd knows Ben is not the leader, not a servant of Jacob, but merely a pawn of the Nemesis. He knows Locke is the leader, the Nemesis’ chosen one, though he is unconvinced. This is the reason he appears so hopeful when Locke assumes control of the Others at the end of season four. Then Locke disappears as Ben moves the island from the Orchid station. (Why the Others don’t go skipping through time is beyond me; maybe this is what the “List” is all about.) Those Sayid is assassinating on behalf of Ben are part of the Jacob-Widmore-Bram-Ilana group. (Further evidence Bram-Ilana are working for Widmore: Tom says to Michael “we’re the good guys,” so, too, does Bram to Frank. What confuses this is why Bram tells Miles not to get on Widmore’s ship. Maybe reverse-psychology?) This is why Ilana is messed up in a hospital; it’s a failed assassination attempt, though it is probably not Sayid doing the assassinating, or Ben for that matter, as they would have probably recognized her. Ivan, I do note, however, was assassinated by Ssayid in Moscow, and Jacob was speaking Russian to Ilana. Abbadon is also clearly working for Widmore, and not for the Nemesis. This is obvious, as he is interested in Hurley (so, too is Jacob). Abbadon’s interaction with Locke pre-island is similar to Eloise pushing Faraday, or Jacob touching Kate, Jack, Sawyer and, again, Locke. Abbadon’s appearance to Hurley shows Hurley’s importance to Jacob, again, and obviously, he is the one who enlisted the freighter folk. Ben kills Abbadon because, again, he does not want Widmore interfering with them (nor does the Nemesis want Jacob to interfere).
It might be helpful here to break down who is in cahoots with who:
JACOB-WIDMORE-HAWKING-ILANA/BRAM-ABBADON vs. NEMESIS-ALPERT-BEN
Ben, not knowing that Locke must die to become the Nemesis, but knowing that Locke is important, attempts to talk him out of it. Yet the Nemesis, knowing Ben’s behavior, knows Ben will kill Locke if Eloise gets involved, as Eloise is working for Jacob (whether she knows it or not). So the Nemesis tells Locke, in the form of Christian Shepard, to look Eloise up when he gets mainland. When Locke suggests they see her, this sends Ben over the top, because he knows Eloise is not to be trusted, she wants to control the island, so, too does Widmore, and allowing her to interfere would risk Ben’s control of the island (it would also risk the Nemesis’ plan). So there, you have it, Locke is dead. Now, they need only get him on the plane, along with as many of the Oceanic Six as possible. Part of the rules, no doubt. The Nemesis wants Dead Locke on board. Eloise goes along with it because she understands the need to have him there. The pieces are in place. Both Ben and Eloise are perhaps unwitting pawns of the Nemesis and Jacob. Jacob especially wants Hurley on the island, and the Nemesis especially wants Locke. Hurley perhaps senses Ben's role as betrayer as he is visibly upset that Ben is getting on the plane.
Ben is shocked to see a living Locke on the island. Christian, as the Nemesis, tells Sun and Frank to wait for Locke. Ben intends on being judged by the Smoke Monster. Aha! Smokey resides in the Temple. Dead giveaway as to Ben's/Richard's allegiances. Locke now knows when and where Smokey will appear. He disappears when Smokey appears in the Temple. The monster judges Ben, tells him to do whatever Locke tells him. Now the Nemesis has set the board for endgame. His pawn is ready to attack. Now to bring in his Dark Horse, Richard.
Locke takes Sun and Ben to the Others camp. Ben tells Sun Richard is an "advisor." Richard tells Locke that Jacob made him "this way" (i.e. ageless). The descriptions of Alpert (in that we find out more about him in a matter of minutes than in the past 5 years of the show) is carefully timed. For it tells us Jacob made him ageless and an intermediary between Jacob and the Others. When Locke announces he wants to meet Jacob, Richard says that Locke is "dangerous." Richard knows full well, because he now realizes that the Nemesis has finally succeeded. Richard does not know how, but begins to have some idea when Ben tells him he kileld Locke (just as Richard took an interest in Ben telling him in 1973 that he saw his dead mother - the Nemesis has managed to advance in the past twenty thirty four years, so that where in 1973 he learned to inhabit the thoughts of the living now in 2007 he has learened to inhabit the bodies of the dead.)
When Locke takes Richard to meet the living Locke to give him instructions and the compass, the Dead Locke is essentially ending (and beginning) the chain of events in a very, very "long con" in which Richard and Ben have been (in varying degrees, Ben moreso than Richard) unknowing accomplices and Jacob the dupe. Richard wants to assist the Nemesis to end his immortality, but in order for the Nemesis' plan to be totally effective, no one could know the full game, not even Richard. Richard, like Locke, Ben and all the rest, is another player. Not a pawn, though, more like a Queen. His half-hearted protest to the Nemesis that only one person at a time is allowed into the Temple may be for show, or it may be his fear that he is wrong, that Locke is not the Nemesis and that they run the risk of ruining this one attempt at end game and thus screwing up Richard's chance for freedom. When the Nemsis says, "I'm beginning to think that you make these rules up as you go along," it may be an indication that Locke's lines are rehearsed, a code, whereby the Nemesis gives Richard his final proof that he has succeeded.
Richard opens Jacob's crypt. The Nemesis and Ben have Jacob in checkmate, cornered. The Nemesis steps back and allows things to play out as he knew they would, confident in his success. When Bram and Ilana show up outside with Locke's body, Richard feins surprise, perhaps, as he does not want them to know he was in on it. Someone, however, did know the Nemesis' plan: Jacob. And he appears to have let it play out, so that the Nemesis would think he has won. Something tells me that "They're coming," refers not to Ilana or Bram or even to the survivors back in '77. It may refer to someone else entirely: Walt? Aaron? Yi Jeon? The latter two, unlike anyone else that we know of (except perhaps Faraday), were born on the island. Does that give them some magical purpose or power?
Let’s look at the facts: Richard was the leader of the Others in 1954. Met with Locke, pretending not to know him (just as he assumed Locke would pretend not to know him when they “first” met in 2004). Locke gives Richard the compass, thus setting in motion the chain of events that will lead to Richard giving Locke the compass. The compass may be a sign from the Nemesis, who is using Locke as his pawn. Locke says he was sent by Jacob, perhaps another sign. Locke tells Richard to meet him in the future. Richard needs convincing that Locke is the Nemesis, however. When visiting Young Locke, he presents him with the compass and a vial of sand, which belong to the Nemesis. When Locke chooses the knife (a symbol of Jacob’s eventual murder weapon?) rather than the Book of Laws, Richard grows angry and leaves the room. Richard attempts one last time to draw Locke to the island by recruiting him through Mittelos, but this fails to interest Locke. The reason Richard later tells Jack in 1977 that he did not find Locke all that “special” is because he was expecting him to be the Others leader, whom the Nemesis likely told Richard would be the person they would recruit to kill Jacob. Jack tells Richard not to “give up on Locke.”
Three years earlier, in 1973, Ben sees his mother’s apparition, much like Eko saw Yemi’s, Ben saw Alex’s and Jack saw Christian’s. We now know that what they were seeing was an embodiment of the Nemesis, just like the Smoke Monster, who sometimes accompanied these sightings (particularly in the case of Eko and later Ben). Ben then meets up with Richard, who just happens to be around the same location that Ben’s mother is seen. Richard is quite interested that Ben has seen the ghost of someone who died of the island, for it shows the Nemesis’ progress; little does Richard know that someday the Nemesis will be appearing in the flesh of the dead. Richard is drawing Ben to their triumvirate with which they will destroy Jacob. The apparition tells Ben it was “not yet time,” and Richard tells him he needs “to be very patient.”
Back in 1977, Kate and Sawyer bring Richard the nearly lifeless body of Ben. Richard takes Ben to the Temple (the same location Ben would later encounter the Smoke Monster). Ben tells Sayid and Kate Ben will be “one of us,” meaning one of the “Others” or in cahoots with the Nemesis (meaning so, too are Sawyer and Kate?). Widmore finds out and yells at Richard that he should not have done that. Richard lies and says that it is what Jacob wants. How is Widmore to argue? No one is allowed to see Jacob except Richard, who is an “advisor.” The Nemesis is taking advantage of this position in that he can use Richard to speak on his own behalf, pretending to speak on the part of Jacob. This was the “right” time for Ben to be made part of the Nemesis’ game plan. Later, Faraday arrives at their camp. Richard knows Faraday is going to tell them about the bomb, that is what he was there for last time they met. Ellie shoots Faraday in the back, which visibly upsets Richard, for he knows what this will lead to. Ellie wants to help Jack and Sayid to stop herself from again killing her son. Richard cannot stop her, as she is the leader and that would raise suspicion, so he uses the excuse of her pregnancy to knock her out cold, hoping against hope that Jack and Sayid will not succeed.
Later, after the “incident,” Ben resists Jacob by keeping Alex rather than killing her. Richard does nothing to intercede. The Nemesis wants Ben as leader because he will be easy to control. His ejects Widmore from the island for breaking the “rules.” Widmore argues that if the island wants her dead, she’ll be dead, and Ben will be cast out. Ben is effectively made leader in Widmore’s absence. He has sold his right to leadership by lying to the Others, by saying he has spoken to Jacob when he has not and by saying he was born on the island when he was not. Richard could intercede but he does not. In fact, he tells Ben that Widmore’s sub is leaving, giving Ben a chance to gloat. Ben’s first major move, after Widmore leaves, is to destroy the Dharma Initiative, whom Jacob brought to the island (much like he brought the Black Rock years before; this also explains the connection between the Hanso of the Black Rock and the Hanso Foundation behind the Dharma Initiative).
Ben’s next major project, the “pregnancy issue,” with which he enlists Richard (and as Richard professes to Locke when they meet in 2004, there are “more important” matters they need to deal with – like killing Jacob, perhaps?), due to Ben’s own mother dying in child birth and the island’s refusal to allow successful procreation on the island. Which begs the question, were Daniel and Ethan conceived on the island? If not, then didn’t Eloise break the “rule”? Maybe this is why she is no longer on the island? Maybe Ben instituted the “rule” about getting pregnant off island, or maybe Jacob did. Perhaps the island’s populace must be brought from outside, by Jacob. (I note also that Jacob lives underneath a statue of Tawaret, an Egyptian goddess of fertility). By solving this problem, the Nemesis could find a loophole for stopping the island’s need for people and could put a stop to Jacob drawing those from the outside, whom the Nemesis professes to hate because of their failings. Then, the Nemesis could end their game and live in peace with the island-born selected few. The island reacts to Ben’s actions by giving him cancer (while it heals others of the same problem, namely Rose). Ben knows something is up: he has not heard from Jacob and he now has cancer. Perhaps he suspects Widmore and Eloise have also never spoken to Jacob? Or is it that discussion with Jacob always occurs through an intermediary, namely Richard?)
The Nemesis has found a highly effective agent in Ben, who is prone to violent, irrational behavior (as with Goodwin and Widmore). Furthermore, Ben asking Locke to kill his father is very similar to Locke asking Ben to kill Jacob. Perhaps Ben was the Nemesis’ first attempt to kill Jacob but then he realized that Jacob was on to Ben, which is why Ben never saw Jacob? Ben takes Locke to see Jacob at his cabin, or at least what he thinks is Jacob. It is clear later, that Ben is only pretending, that Jacob is not in the cabin, and never was, at least not for Ben. As Locke begins to leave, a voice says “help me.” This is the Nemesis’ voice. Ben does not hear this, it is meant for Locke only, to make Locke believe he is special and to make Ben feel left out (which the Nemesis can use to his advantage later). Ben is only a pawn, after all, who needs to know only his small part of the board, whereas Locke needs to see more of the board (more on this alter). The Nemesis does not want to be seen however, as evidenced by his reaction to John’s flashlight. Possibly this is because Ben or Locke would describe him to Richard and the Nemesis, as we will see, wants to keep him in the dark, too. When Locke tells Ben Jacob’s words “help me,” Ben is hurt because he believes he is helping Jacob. The truth is he is helping Jacob’s Nemesis.
Ricahrd is “concerned” about what happened to Locke because, though he is in the dark about all the Nemesis’ moves (seeing only part of the game and not the whole board), he understands Locke’s importance, beginning with Locke not remembering Ricahrd soon after Locke is first introduced to the Others. Richard quickly tells Locke that Ben wanted Locke to fail at killing his father because Ben wanted to look good in the eyes of his people, who are possibly beginning to question Ben’s motives (as in, what’s with this pregnancy thing, anyway, and why are we living in the Dharma village?). Richard knows Ben is an illegitimate leader, but must maintain the illusion in order to fool Jacob. Richard tells Locke that there are more important issues than fertility, meaning that Ben is pursuing a goal contrary to what Jacob wants. Perhaps he is giving Locke a hint that Ben is manipulable? Maybe Richard thinks Locke is playing dumb?
When the Others come under attack by the Freighter folk, Ben orders Richard to take the Others to the Temple, ostensibly the “last safe place on the island.” This is the same place Richard took Ben for his “transformation” which upset Widmore. Have the Others been transformed as well? Are they unknowingly in the pawns of the Nemesis? Ben cannot let the survivors leave the island (as he so passionately protests to Alex) because he fears they might fall under the control of Widmore, or Jacob himself, as Jacob contacts Sayid and Hugo, and Widmore with Sun (actually, she contacts him.) No, it is best for the Nemesis’ plan if the survivors remain on the island, where they are more easily manipulated, and under Smoky’s watchful eye. Ben was prepared to kill everyone rather than allow them to escape, as is evidenced by his rigging the Tempest station. The freighters want to stop Ben. Perhaps Jacob let Widmore know that he suspected Ben needed to be stopped? Maybe Jacob knows the Nemesis’ endgame? (Maybe this is why he appears to let it happen).
Harper’s appearance to Juliet is significant, more significant, I think, than anyone suspects as it, more than Richard and his mother’s ghost appearing close together, illustrates how far in cahoots Ben is with the Nemesis (though, again, he has no idea). The Nemesis wanted Ben to succeed in releasing the toxic gas at the Tempest, disposing of the freighters and survivors just as Ben disposed of the Dharma initiative. The Nemesis as Harper is pretending to act on behalf of Ben because the Nemesis is actually controlling Ben. As further proof of the collusion between Ben and the Nemesis (whom he believes is Jacob), look no further than the “Smoky Control Booth” accessed from Ben’s Dharma home, a booth Ben uses to bring forth the Smoke Monster to attack Keamy and his men. (As an aside, I think Horace Goodspeed, whose house this originally was, and who built the cabin, may also be working for the Nemesis, whether or not he knows it. He was there, after all, when Ben’s mother died, and he brought Ben’s father to the island. That his house has an expressway to Smokyville does not speak well of his intentions, either.)
Ben and Locke promptly go to visit “Jacob” in the Cabin. Hurley, who tellingly knows where the cabin “is” (and thus is quite useful to the real Jacob), leads them there, but first Locke meets Horace Goodspeed, then building the famed cabin. Is this the Nemesis? Probably. Goodspeed tells Locke where to look and they find a schematic in the pocket of his dead body. (I note that the ONLY time the Nemesis has appeared in an apparition form to someone who DID NOT KNOW THE PERSON WHO THE NEMESIS IS APPEARING is to John Locke. Significant? Probably. The two occasions are Goodspeed and Christian Shepard; both times helped to further Locke along his path toward killing Jacob; yes, even Christian Shepard. Shepard, after all, told him to move the island and to look up Eloise Hawking, two events which would have serious repercussions. Moving the island changes the game plan; sort of like moving the game pieces in such a way that undermines the game.
When Ben is eventually rescued by the Others, Ricahrd says “my pleasure,” in such a way that it is clearly NOT his pleasure. Ricahrd knows Ben is not the leader, not a servant of Jacob, but merely a pawn of the Nemesis. He knows Locke is the leader, the Nemesis’ chosen one, though he is unconvinced. This is the reason he appears so hopeful when Locke assumes control of the Others at the end of season four. Then Locke disappears as Ben moves the island from the Orchid station. (Why the Others don’t go skipping through time is beyond me; maybe this is what the “List” is all about.) Those Sayid is assassinating on behalf of Ben are part of the Jacob-Widmore-Bram-Ilana group. (Further evidence Bram-Ilana are working for Widmore: Tom says to Michael “we’re the good guys,” so, too, does Bram to Frank. What confuses this is why Bram tells Miles not to get on Widmore’s ship. Maybe reverse-psychology?) This is why Ilana is messed up in a hospital; it’s a failed assassination attempt, though it is probably not Sayid doing the assassinating, or Ben for that matter, as they would have probably recognized her. Ivan, I do note, however, was assassinated by Ssayid in Moscow, and Jacob was speaking Russian to Ilana. Abbadon is also clearly working for Widmore, and not for the Nemesis. This is obvious, as he is interested in Hurley (so, too is Jacob). Abbadon’s interaction with Locke pre-island is similar to Eloise pushing Faraday, or Jacob touching Kate, Jack, Sawyer and, again, Locke. Abbadon’s appearance to Hurley shows Hurley’s importance to Jacob, again, and obviously, he is the one who enlisted the freighter folk. Ben kills Abbadon because, again, he does not want Widmore interfering with them (nor does the Nemesis want Jacob to interfere).
It might be helpful here to break down who is in cahoots with who:
JACOB-WIDMORE-HAWKING-ILANA/BRAM-ABBADON vs. NEMESIS-ALPERT-BEN
Ben, not knowing that Locke must die to become the Nemesis, but knowing that Locke is important, attempts to talk him out of it. Yet the Nemesis, knowing Ben’s behavior, knows Ben will kill Locke if Eloise gets involved, as Eloise is working for Jacob (whether she knows it or not). So the Nemesis tells Locke, in the form of Christian Shepard, to look Eloise up when he gets mainland. When Locke suggests they see her, this sends Ben over the top, because he knows Eloise is not to be trusted, she wants to control the island, so, too does Widmore, and allowing her to interfere would risk Ben’s control of the island (it would also risk the Nemesis’ plan). So there, you have it, Locke is dead. Now, they need only get him on the plane, along with as many of the Oceanic Six as possible. Part of the rules, no doubt. The Nemesis wants Dead Locke on board. Eloise goes along with it because she understands the need to have him there. The pieces are in place. Both Ben and Eloise are perhaps unwitting pawns of the Nemesis and Jacob. Jacob especially wants Hurley on the island, and the Nemesis especially wants Locke. Hurley perhaps senses Ben's role as betrayer as he is visibly upset that Ben is getting on the plane.
Ben is shocked to see a living Locke on the island. Christian, as the Nemesis, tells Sun and Frank to wait for Locke. Ben intends on being judged by the Smoke Monster. Aha! Smokey resides in the Temple. Dead giveaway as to Ben's/Richard's allegiances. Locke now knows when and where Smokey will appear. He disappears when Smokey appears in the Temple. The monster judges Ben, tells him to do whatever Locke tells him. Now the Nemesis has set the board for endgame. His pawn is ready to attack. Now to bring in his Dark Horse, Richard.
Locke takes Sun and Ben to the Others camp. Ben tells Sun Richard is an "advisor." Richard tells Locke that Jacob made him "this way" (i.e. ageless). The descriptions of Alpert (in that we find out more about him in a matter of minutes than in the past 5 years of the show) is carefully timed. For it tells us Jacob made him ageless and an intermediary between Jacob and the Others. When Locke announces he wants to meet Jacob, Richard says that Locke is "dangerous." Richard knows full well, because he now realizes that the Nemesis has finally succeeded. Richard does not know how, but begins to have some idea when Ben tells him he kileld Locke (just as Richard took an interest in Ben telling him in 1973 that he saw his dead mother - the Nemesis has managed to advance in the past twenty thirty four years, so that where in 1973 he learned to inhabit the thoughts of the living now in 2007 he has learened to inhabit the bodies of the dead.)
When Locke takes Richard to meet the living Locke to give him instructions and the compass, the Dead Locke is essentially ending (and beginning) the chain of events in a very, very "long con" in which Richard and Ben have been (in varying degrees, Ben moreso than Richard) unknowing accomplices and Jacob the dupe. Richard wants to assist the Nemesis to end his immortality, but in order for the Nemesis' plan to be totally effective, no one could know the full game, not even Richard. Richard, like Locke, Ben and all the rest, is another player. Not a pawn, though, more like a Queen. His half-hearted protest to the Nemesis that only one person at a time is allowed into the Temple may be for show, or it may be his fear that he is wrong, that Locke is not the Nemesis and that they run the risk of ruining this one attempt at end game and thus screwing up Richard's chance for freedom. When the Nemsis says, "I'm beginning to think that you make these rules up as you go along," it may be an indication that Locke's lines are rehearsed, a code, whereby the Nemesis gives Richard his final proof that he has succeeded.
Richard opens Jacob's crypt. The Nemesis and Ben have Jacob in checkmate, cornered. The Nemesis steps back and allows things to play out as he knew they would, confident in his success. When Bram and Ilana show up outside with Locke's body, Richard feins surprise, perhaps, as he does not want them to know he was in on it. Someone, however, did know the Nemesis' plan: Jacob. And he appears to have let it play out, so that the Nemesis would think he has won. Something tells me that "They're coming," refers not to Ilana or Bram or even to the survivors back in '77. It may refer to someone else entirely: Walt? Aaron? Yi Jeon? The latter two, unlike anyone else that we know of (except perhaps Faraday), were born on the island. Does that give them some magical purpose or power?
