Ben vs. The Universe: Lost's Cosmic Game of Chess

**I am creating a seperate site devoted to this theory. It is here if you want to see it.**

If you haven't been following Lost, this will make even less sense than it does already...

I proposed a theory the other day that Ben is punished and rewarded for different things he does on the island. It was interesting but incomplete, and it got me thinking. Rather than punishments and rewards, what if these are moves and countermoves between Ben and the universe in a cosmic course-correcting game of chess?

The Cosmic Game of Chess
Ben is fighting against the universe – against God – against fate. Like Desmond, he has found a way to “unstick” himself in time and space (“only fools are imprisoned by time and space”). He has a sense of the future, but is not omniscient – he can’t be, because once he makes a move, the universe counters it and things change. Still, Ben has an idea of what is coming – he takes advantage of the things that work for him and tries to change the things that don’t. The universe always course corrects – Ben moves – the universe moves (perhaps a MacCutcheon?).

Ben’s Immense Power
Young Ben learned about the power of the island through Richard and the other “hostiles.” He met Jacob, who was master of the island’s power, and was in perfect harmony with the universe/fate/God (God loves you as he loved Jacob). Somehow, Ben tricked and imprisoned Jacob and took his power – a power immense enough to bring down Oceanic 815 to get the spinal surgeon to remove his tumor and then fake the wreckage with over 300 dead bodies in the Sunda Trench so people wouldn’t come looking for the survivors – yes, Ben is behind that.

Ben’s Motivation
Ben hated life until he met Annie. She was his one bright spot. His true love. Then the universe took her away from him. She died during childbirth and Ben is trying to change it. Ben is trying to solve the “pregnant women die” problem so he can take the solution back in time to save her. He knows he can do it, because he’s done it before.

Annie’s Many Deaths
Annie didn’t “only” die in childbirth (just like Charlie didn’t “only” die by being struck by lightening). Annie has died many times and Ben has prevented it each time (like Desmond did with Charlie) – and each time the universe has reacted – most recently by killing Annie with the pregnancy. That is the move Ben is reacting to now.

Charles Widmore
Widmore knows about the power of the island (maybe through a connection with Hanso or Dharma) and he wants it for himself. He is therefore a threat to Ben, but he’s not enemy number one. Enemy number one is the universe. Widmore is simply one of many threats to the source of Ben’s immense power.

Threats to Ben
Because Ben has a sense of the future, he knows who his main threats will be. He puts their names on a list and has them eliminated or “converted” (i.e. brainwashed -- room 23) before they have a chance to interfere. Of course once Ben eliminates one threat, another comes to take its place.

John Locke
John Locke is a major threat that the Universe seems to really be supporting. Ben can’t quite eliminate or “convert” him – but he will keep trying.

Jacob’s Revenge
Jacob, who was once a threat to Ben as well, is still trying to free himself from Ben’s imprisonment. As an agent of the universe, he is playing the cosmic game of chess as well. He is trying to support John, but he has also recruited the dead Christian Sheppard (yes, it was Jack’s dad Hurley saw in the cabin with Jacob) – a soul in need of redemption – to correct the mistakes of his life by furthering God's purposes on the island and helping the Losties fight against Ben. Eventually, the surviving members of the Oceanic 6 will have to return to the island to help the universe free Jacob in the final check-mate against Ben.

It is all move and counter move in a cosmic course-correcting game of chess.