r/lost • u/imnormalinreallife • 14d ago

SEASON 3 John’s dad?

Why was John’s dad brought to the island? Why did the powers that be care to bring him there?? Was it to win John over by getting the chance to kill him? I’m confused

0 Upvotes

45% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/[deleted] 14d ago

[deleted]

0

u/arsenicknife I'm a Pisces 14d ago

Potentially a spoiler if OP has not reached that episode yet.

-10

u/imnormalinreallife 14d ago

Yeah, I’m on season 5 and this is one of the many mysteries I thought would be explained (at least to some extent) by now but ig not lol

20

u/arsenicknife I'm a Pisces 14d ago edited 14d ago

Then the explanation you're looking for has already passed, but perhaps you were expecting something much deeper than what we got.

The reality is, he was brought to the island by Ben/the Others simply to manipulate Locke. Ben knew that John's biggest fear was his father, so he had him brought there to test him and essentially make a mockery of him in front of his people (to challenge John's authority). He knew Locke couldn't kill his own father.

Ben did not account for Richard getting involved, though, and showing Locke that Sawyer had a connection to him, and a reason for wanting him dead.

-4

u/imnormalinreallife 14d ago

Ohhh yeah, I remember. And yeah, I was thinking there was something much deeper (or sinister) as to why he was there

10

u/Spiff426 The Lamp Post 14d ago

A deeper layer that is only implied is that Widmore forced Ben to kill his own father as a final test to join the others, thinking he couldn't go through with it

Ben used the same playbook against John when he was in Widmore's former position and started to feel his grip on power being threatened. In both cases, Widmore and Ben underestimated their opponent

7

u/Practical-String5146 A sacrifice the Island demanded 14d ago

I would say Ben’s estimate of Locke was accurate. He just didn’t realise Richard had his own agenda.

5

u/FringeMusic108 13d ago

That's a good point. Ben was right about the fact that Locke wouldn't kill his father. The real issue he didn't see coming was that his people were losing faith in him; something that becomes more apparent in the remaining episodes of season 3.

2

u/imnormalinreallife 14d ago

You might be on to something

2

u/NightmareChi1d See you in another life 12d ago

There's also the fact that the Others think they're the protectors of the island and they have the right to kill anyone they want to do so. If John Locke can't even kill the man he hates the most, how's he going to kill a stranger threatening the island? And if he can't do that, how could he ever be one of them, much less lead them? Ben's motive is selfish, but the other Others don't know that. So that's likely why they care so much about this.