The Smoke Monster And Ben (Possibly Stupid Question)

[Creflo]

Partisan political commentary aside, my thoughts on the connection between Ben's visit to the secret doorway and the Smoke Monster's attack:

- If the attacks by Smokie are based on ethical considerations (Eko failed to repent, X.X...Juliet was scanned and released...Locke was scanned and he beheld a wondrous vision), then maybe Ben used the magic door to dig up dirt on the operatives.

- If he went back and altered something about their past, it could've caused Smokie to course-correct...rubbing them out.

[Jugdish]

Not buying this one.

Smokie took time to read Juliet, Locke and Eko himself. Did not just attack like we saw this week. I think this shows that it was told or directed what to do.

[LostAndSeek]

Hmmm.... in Juliet's case, as far as we know, Smokie would have attacked if it could have gotten to her. It sure looked like it was gonna attack when it smashed into the fence.

But good points on Eko and Locke... Particularly Eko where it held up once then attacked lethally later....

[Lion of Atreides]

Not buying this one.

Smokie took time to read Juliet, Locke and Eko himself. Did not just attack like we saw this week. I think this shows that it was told or directed what to do.

What about the pilot, Seth? That would mean that Smokey would have had to have 'read' Seth prior to Charlie, Kate & Jack showing up at the cockpit in the Pilot episode.  I think it's more likely that certain, radically disruptive situations can cause Smokey to raise its 'threat level response' all on its own.  So, if a plane crashes onto the island, that might automatically provoke a stronger countermeasure from Smokey.  But I agree with your primary presumption that whatever Ben did served to dramatically heighten Smokey's attack, as we've never seen Smokey so huge & enraged as in The Shape of Things to Come.

[LostinLock]

Why can't the answer be simple?  Ben knocked on Smokey door.  Smokey was reading the latest issue of how to keep the fire in your romance.  He listened to Ben tell him about Alex and then he got all p'd off and blew out of the ground and took care of business.

[sillysab]

I think if he released smokie earlier it would of just killed ALex with the rest of them.
We know it did not get them all since Keamy (wrong spelling) is seen in the preview. BUt I digress.

He had to be clear of it before he summoned smokie.

YEAH... WHY DOESN'T IT KILL THEM ALL??? This was the only thing that bothered me about this episode plus the fact that the producers/writers are doing their typical, is he a good guy/bad guy thing which drives me nuts too.

[Writers_Strike]

We know it did not get them all since Keamy (wrong spelling) is seen in the preview.

Dude, that was NOT cool! Many of us choose not to watch the previews because they're widely considered to be SPOILERS! Please don't write about future episodes. I did NOT want to know that.

Really? How can you not watch Previews?? It builds the suspence for the next week.

[LostinLock]

We know it did not get them all since Keamy (wrong spelling) is seen in the preview.

Dude, that was NOT cool! Many of us choose not to watch the previews because they're widely considered to be SPOILERS! Please don't write about future episodes. I did NOT want to know that.

Really? How can you not watch Previews?? It builds the suspence for the next week.

Yes, I agree, it's like not reading your e-mail...okay not a good analogy but you get the point

[T Mack]

I think if he released smokie earlier it would of just killed ALex with the rest of them.
We know it did not get them all since Keamy (wrong spelling) is seen in the preview. BUt I digress.

He had to be clear of it before he summoned smokie.

It will be interesting to see if Keamy acknowledges/knows/understands Smokie in any way in future episodes. (He will probably get killed off like so many others with good information that they never share, however!).

How Keamy kept from becoming Smoke monster food will probably never be explained either.  It seems to be able to kill/attack whoever it wants, so I will be interested to see if Keamy every acknowledges any interaction with it or questions it.  Could Keamy have advanced knowledge of the islands most secret weapon and powerful security system before he ever encountered it and so that's how he escaped? 

[T Mack]

Partisan political commentary aside, my thoughts on the connection between Ben's visit to the secret doorway and the Smoke Monster's attack:

- If the attacks by Smokie are based on ethical considerations (Eko failed to repent, X.X...Juliet was scanned and released...Locke was scanned and he beheld a wondrous vision), then maybe Ben used the magic door to dig up dirt on the operatives.

- If he went back and altered something about their past, it could've caused Smokie to course-correct...rubbing them out.

Remember Locke (and/or Rousseau?) told them to be still and it would pass when they encountered Smokie going to the Blackrock.

Juliet and Kate were still in the tree when Smokie stopped pursuing them and "took pictures" or scanned them.
Eko was still when Smokie stopped coming for him and began scanning him.

Maybe Smokie is only attracted to/can only follow motion.  If something is still, it can't "see" the target or calls off the attack.  Everyone that has been attacked severely has been moving, running through the jungle.

[Lion of Atreides]

Maybe Smokie is only attracted to/can only follow motion.  If something is still, it can't "see" the target or calls off the attack.  Everyone that has been attacked severely has been moving, running through the jungle.

Like a hunter-seeker in Dune:
   http://dune.wikia.com/wiki/Hunter_Seeker

How Keamy kept from becoming Smoke monster food will probably never be explained either.  It seems to be able to kill/attack whoever it wants, so I will be interested to see if Keamy every acknowledges any interaction with it or questions it.  Could Keamy have advanced knowledge of the islands most secret weapon and powerful security system before he ever encountered it and so that's how he escaped? 

I'm sure it's like how Paul Reiser had additional information in Aliens, and his own agenda.  Probably just Naomi and Keamy were told about  Smokey.  Keamy's the kinda guy who'd not tell his fellow mercs, as he knew that, were Smokey to attack, while the other soldiers were futilely firing at Smokey, drawing its attention, he could run in the opposite direction (like Ben suggested, but didn't do so well in practice) and save his own ass.

[tonysee200x]

Partisan political commentary aside, my thoughts on the connection between Ben's visit to the secret doorway and the Smoke Monster's attack:

- If the attacks by Smokie are based on ethical considerations (Eko failed to repent, X.X...Juliet was scanned and released...Locke was scanned and he beheld a wondrous vision), then maybe Ben used the magic door to dig up dirt on the operatives.

- If he went back and altered something about their past, it could've caused Smokie to course-correct...rubbing them out.

Remember Locke (and/or Rousseau?) told them to be still and it would pass when they encountered Smokie going to the Blackrock.

Juliet and Kate were still in the tree when Smokie stopped pursuing them and "took pictures" or scanned them.
Eko was still when Smokie stopped coming for him and began scanning him.

Maybe Smokie is only attracted to/can only follow motion.  If something is still, it can't "see" the target or calls off the attack.  Everyone that has been attacked severely has been moving, running through the jungle.

Not the pilot

[LostAndSeek]

I think Keamy just ran away....

[Dizzybeckster]

We know it did not get them all since Keamy (wrong spelling) is seen in the preview.

Dude, that was NOT cool! Many of us choose not to watch the previews because they're widely considered to be SPOILERS! Please don't write about future episodes. I did NOT want to know that.

I believe it's posted in the rules of the site, that any preview broadcast on national TV is accepable to post on here...

i've had this arguement before and lost... *sigh* i agreed with Josh but the majority overruled...

[Creflo]

Maybe Smokie is only attracted to/can only follow motion.

This is the best thought of the thread so far.  It almost makes too much sense to be accurate.

What still hasn't been addressed is what actually happened behind the secret door and what relation it has to Smokie's behavior.  We know Ben went in there right before the attack.  We know he came out dirty and/or banged up.  We know he basically acknowledged that he caused the attack by the way he responded to Locke's statement about lying about knowing about Smokie.  ("about" x3!)  My conclusions:

- I just don't think he goes behind the ancient door and accesses dials, levers, joysticks or whatever to pilot the thing.  He did something that caused Smokie to appear a few moments later.

- If he has direct control (which I doubt), it could possibly be to expand the area of Smokie's domain.  Rousseau referred to a certain part of The Island which was where the security system roamed...seems the blast door map makes a similar reference re: Cerberus. 

- I think his control is indirect.  Something like making them to have never existed in the current when, therefore they are eliminated by the security system.  This is not very likely, but think along those lines.  Maybe he simply communes with The Island and lays out a case against the soldiers and their negative impact.

- The way he comes out of the door all battered up reminds me of Kill Bill when Bill goes up to ask Pai Mei to train B. Kiddo.  He comes back all beaten up and states "he has agreed to train you".

Because Ben states in response to Locke's accusation re: lying about Smokie "why don't you ask Jacob", that makes me think that the explanation of the door->Smokie connection is not as simple as Ben going in there and flipping a switch.



I love this show.